Shaping Culture in Glass: Shane Herrington’s Sharing Stories Residency

The School of Art & Design recently welcomed Shane Herrington, a Wolgalu (Walgalu, Wolgal) and Wiradjuri artist from the Tumut region of NSW, into the Glass Workshop as part of our annual Sharing Stories Visiting Artist Program. Shane is a Traditional Owner and Cultural Knowledge-holder who works with stone, fibre and paint. During his visit, Shane wanted to explore the similarities and differences between working with stone and glass, and how this relates to his cultural practice in stone tool making.  

The work Shane made over his 3-day residency drew on his Aboriginal knowledge, culture and community. Shane worked with academic Dr Jeffrey Sarmiento to create new artworks including a waterjet cut boomerang and spear head, sand cast stone tools and clapping sticks made in the hot shop, that take inspiration from the Corroberee frog found on Wolgalu Country.  

Shane shares that: “Working with glass and stone is very similar in a lot of ways. My imagination envisaged the hot glass to be very similar to hot volcanic lava; the cooling process and the way shapes are created throughout that process determines the fracture capability when attempting to make a tool.”  

The Sharing Stories Visiting Artist Program invites First Nations artists living in the ACT region to undertake a residency at the School and supports artists to development their creative arts practice in a new or emerging area, specific to each artist’s needs.

This program is supported by ACT Government.