about
Zoe Bedford, Delft 1992, is a Dutch/British Artist, Researcher and Writer based in the Netherlands. She has been working with glass for over ten years, combining academic research with artistic expression. She has been involved in a variety of exhibitions in The Netherlands, United Kingdom and Portugal as well as Technical Art Historical Research involving reconstructions on composition and form of historical glasses. Though her artistic process is deeply personal and emotionally driven, it is also informed by her academic background in conservation and scientific research.
This dual perspective infuses her approach to glass artistry with a level of precision and technical/chemical expertise that sets her work apart. By merging art and science, she creates pieces that not only captivate the eye but also engage the mind, inviting viewers to explore the intersections between creativity and knowledge.
CV
EDUCATION
2022 - 2024 Glass and Ceramics, Art and Science, MSc, FCT NOVA, University of Lisbon
2017 - 2019 Conservation and Restoration of Cultural Heritage, MSc, University of Amsterdam
2016 Chemistry for Conservation International Academic Projects
2013 - 2016 Glass and Ceramics BaHons University of Sunderland
2011 - 2013 Glass Art Design HND, City of Glasgow College
residencies
2024 Ceramics residency - Studio of Virginia Frois, Montemor-o-novo, Portugal
EXHIBITIONS
Solo
2024 Acts of Light, Studio 54B, Lisbon, Portugal
2023 Community: Practicing Art, Practicing Science Biblioteca FCT NOVA, Caparica Portugal
Group
2023 Wall of Future, Galarie Zône, Leiden, The Netherlands
2023 inFORMada VICARTE XIII, Galeria de Arte IMARGEM, Almada, Portugal
2016 New Designers, Design Business Centre, London, United Kingdom
2016 Eclectic, National Glass Centre, Sunderland, United Kingdom.
2015 Dry Run, Shipley Art Gallery, Gateshead, United Kingdom
2014 ART4YOU Fundraiser
SELECTED EXPERIENCE
Sept 2023 - Present Artist and writer, Bedford Glassworks
Oct 2022 - Present Artist assistant, including artists Virginia Frois and Maria Renee Morales Lam
Oct 2017 - Sept 2020 Manager and team member, Sustainability in Conservation
May 2019 Studio Assistant Vrij Glas, Zaandam, The Netherlands
Sept 2013 - Mar 2015 Teaching Assistant, Sorrel Foundation, Sunderland
Sept 2014 - Mar 2015 Studio Assistant, National Glass Centre, Sunderland, United Kingdom
April 2015 Artist assistant to Maria Bang Espersen, National Glass Centre, Sunderland, United Kingdom
March 2015 Artist assistant to Joanne Mitchell, National Glass Centre, Sunderland, United Kingdom
Oct - Dec 2014 Intern to Jeffrey Sarmiento and Erin Dickson, National Glass Centre, Sunderland, United Kingdom
July - Sept 2014 Studio assistant, Scottish Glass Studio, Glasgow, United Kingdom
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS
Academic
2019 ICOM-CC Glass and ceramics working group Interim Meeting 2019 student paper: Historic Adhesive Reconstruction: A 19th century Sturgeon Bladder 'Cement' Recipe comparison. Zoe Bedford and Julia Wagner, University of Amsterdam.
2019 MSc Thesis: What factors lie behind the unintentional formation of rainbow coloured bands in the artwork 'Prisma Raam' from the glass artist Anna Carlgren? An investigation in UV adhesives in contemporary glass artworks. Zoe Bedford, University of Amsterdam
2018 SEAHA Conference 2018, Energy Saving Challenge Survey: Identifying ways to save Energy in Conservation by Understanding User Habits. Zoe Bedford (UvA), Julia Wagner (UvA), Caitlin Southwick (UvA), Mariana Escamilla (University of Cologne) and Rene Peschar (UvA). Co-authors for Sustainability in Conservation
2016 BA dissertation: The first cut is the deepest: restoring damage. Zoe Bedford, University of Sunderland
Commercial - external from artwork
2023 La Belle Epoque, Festivities, 10 Sentimental Journal
2022 Koffiedik kijken, Coffee 06, Sentimental Journal
2022 Andrea Vandoni, Coffee 06, Sentimental Journal
2022 From the Archive, Correspondence 05, Sentimental Journal
2022 Han Cao, Correspondence 05, Sentimental Journal
2022 Marjolein Burbank, Correspondence 05, Sentimental Journal
2022 Alice Voetee, Correspondence 05, Sentimental Journal
2021 Azulejos, Ceramics 04, Sentimental Journal