Anne Clifton

Biography

Anne Clifton is an Australian artist whose practice moves between ceramics and experimental glass, grounded in a sustained investigation of form, surface, and material transformation. Initially trained in ceramics at the WA School of Visual Arts, her trajectory shifted when a glass furnace was introduced into the ceramics department where she was working as a technician—an encounter that redirected her focus toward glass while retaining a distinctly ceramic sensibility.

In 2003, Clifton co-founded Glass Manifesto with artist Peter Bowles, establishing an independent studio and gallery in Tasmania. This platform allowed her to develop a highly individual approach to glassmaking, working across lampworking, casting, jewelry, and object-based sculpture. While her earlier work explored dense, layered color encased within glass, her more recent practice has moved toward a freer, more sculptural language—externalizing color and emphasizing structure, surface, and spatial presence.

Clifton’s work reflects an ongoing dialogue between disciplines, where the physicality of ceramics and the optical qualities of glass converge. Her practice is driven by curiosity, material fluency, and a commitment to evolving form. She has exhibited internationally across Europe, Australia, Asia, and the United States, and her work is held in major collections, including the Victoria and Albert Museum, London.

Medium

Glass