Capturing the delight and attention of young and old, Neil Wilkin’s spectacular ‘Dew Drops’ glisten in the dancing sunlight. Meticulously sculpted from solid glass, these immaculate forms capture - and flip - the surroundings perfectly. Most at home along the water’s edge - the light reflecting and refracting from the rippling water is mirrored in the droplets of glass. A photographer’s dream - a thousand viewpoints through the cluster. Described as a master in his field, and one of Britain’s most important hot-glass makers, the quality of Wilkin’s work truly speaks for itself.⠀

Wilkin’s drops are individually formed from incredibly high-quality glass and the attention to detail follows through into the base of the pieces. Not content with a simple steel rod, each stem is painstakingly crafted to mimic a growing stem.

"It was colour and heat that first pulled me towards the furnace at college. I had gone to work with my hands as a potter, and left obsessed with fire and glass making.”⠀

For almost 40 years, Neil Wilkin has perfected many different glass-making techniques including restoration work (such as the coveted commission to make the ‘blanks’ for the fire damaged chandeliers from Windsor Castle) and clients including Asprey, Four Seasons, Cunard, Langham, & Natural History Museum of Copenhagen who commissioned 5 large intricately detailed spiders.

His work is found in public and private collections across the globe, including the Victoria and Albert Museum and Crafts Council Collection here in the UK.

Outdoor Sculpture

Flower Garden

In late 2022 and early 2023, Neil Wilkin teamed up with fellow supreme glass maker Rachael Woodman to create ‘Harvest Fruit Gathering’ - a true celebration of glass. The exhibition first showed at Ruthin Craft Centre in Wales, before travelling to the National Glass Centre.

‘Harvest Fruit Gathering’ is about love – of materials; of process; of natural and spiritual worlds. As makers they have committed their lives to a pursuit of perfection in form and colour, harnessing the unique optical and physical qualities of glass. Almost forty years since initiating their collaborative venture in Bath in 1984, Harvest: Fruit Gathering is their first opportunity to present their distinctive bodies of work together.

In July 2023, Neil’s stunning ‘Flower Garden’ - the centre piece of the exhibition, made its way to the Sculpture Garden. Installed amongst the towering Inula that create an avenue along Standon Stream, we were proud to show this striking installation outside for the first time.