Jim Dennison and Leanne Williams
Leanne Williams was born in Wellington New Zealand in 1966. She attended Victoria University where she received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Teaching. In 1998 she returned to study and completed a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Painting at Wanganui Polytechnic. Her painting practice also included mixed media installation work that was exhibited in major public galleries and museums within New Zealand. As well as a practicing artist Leanne has also spent 3 years teaching and lecturing in fine arts.
Jim Dennison was born in Masterton, New Zealand in 1962. He attended Victoria University in Wellington where he completed a Bachelor of Science Degree in Ecology. In 1998 he returned to study and completed a Diploma of Glass Production and Design at Wanganui Polytechnic. While studying he was awarded an “Honourable Mention at the International Student Exhibition, 31st Glass Art Society Conference Corning. He has been technical assistance to renowned artists Ann Robinson, Irene Frolic and Warren Langley.
In 2001 Leanne and Jim started their collaboration in glass. Since then their work has been selected for major glass exhibitions within New Zealand, most noticeably “Southern Exposure”2003-4, “Glass Invitational 2005” and “Birds” 2006. They were the feature artists in the New Zealand survey exhibition for the 2005 GAS conference in Adelaide. They continue to be at the forefront of contemporary glass in New Zealand and have recently been awarded a Merit in New Zealand’s inaugural National Glass Award 2006. Their work is included in the permanent collection at Glasmuseet Ebeltoft, Denmark and Government House, New Zealand. They are published in New Glass Review 25 and major New Zealand publications, Urbis, New Zealand Architecture, and Artzone. Both artists live, work and teach glass in their own collaborative studio in Martinborough, New Zealand.