Peter Layton is one of the founding figures of the British studio glass movement, celebrated for his dynamic blown glass forms and lifelong commitment to the development of glass as an expressive art form.
Born in Prague in 1937 and raised in the UK, Layton studied at the Central School of Art and Design, later working with Harvey Littleton in the United States, an experience that proved formative in shaping his approach to studio practice.
Layton is perhaps best known as the founder of London Glassblowing, established in 1976 and now one of Europe’s leading hot glass studios. A visionary educator and mentor, he has nurtured generations of glass artists, offering a rare space for experimentation, collaboration and the honing of technical skill. His influence on the contemporary glass landscape in Britain is both profound and enduring.
Artistically, Layton’s work is characterised by fluid forms, painterly colouration and an intuitive relationship with the medium. Inspired by nature, landscape and emotion, his vessels and sculptural pieces often evoke the ephemeral, flickers of light, the movement of water, the shifting seasons, expressed through a vibrant interplay of colour and form. Each piece is unique, embodying the spontaneity and risk at the heart of glassblowing.
