Northlands Platter by Amanda Simmons

Amanda Simmons doesn't simply shape glass in the kiln -- she collaborates with gravity. In Northlands Platter, hundreds of tiny marks spiral outward from the center in rings of yellow, gray, black, and white. The broad, softly undulating form feels simultaneously geological, botanical, and topographical: a cross-section of a tree, ripples across water, or an aerial view of cultivated land.

The Scotland-based artist works primarily with glass powders, carefully controlling mass, heat, color, and time so that the material stretches and changes translucency as it moves in the kiln. After firing, she uses extensive coldworking -- including sandblasting, hand lapping, and engraving -- to refine the finished object. Simmons has exhibited internationally at venues including Collect, SOFA Chicago, Bellevue Arts Museum, Bullseye Projects, London Glassblowing, and Pittsburgh Glass Center.

This is a work that changes with illumination and viewing angle. Give it light and space, and its intricate surface seems to begin moving again.

Dimensions (in. WxHxD): 21 x 2 x 17

Learn more about the artist at www.amandasimmons.co.uk.

The Live Auction will take place Sep. 18 at 8pm ET. Bid live at the event, place bids online via Live Auctioneers, or submit absentee bids by contacting Heather McElwee at 412-365-2145 or heather@pittsburghglasscenter.org.