Tessa is a Glasgow-based artist and maker working with glass through casting, fusing, and traditional leadwork, alongside digital and scientific approaches. At her workshop, The Glaziers Arms, she creates stained glass windows, homewares, runs workshops, and explores how architecture, storytelling, and material play can shape spaces and our experience of them.

What does Scottishness mean to you?

I moved from London to Glasgow when I was eighteen, and have now lived here for 13 years. Over that time, living in Scotland has shaped who I am and taught me to be a better person. Glasgow, in particular, has an openness to it that makes me feel there’s a place for me here - that I can contribute something meaningful to it. For me, Scottishness is that sense of generosity and togetherness, people quietly doing good things and making life a bit better for each other.

What role does craft have in daily life?

I see craft most clearly in the spaces around us - the pubs, cafes, and community buildings that make Glasgow feel like home. When I was younger, I couldn’t explain why certain places made me feel so at ease, but as I got older I realised it was because they were crafted well - built by people who cared about the materials, the light, and the people who’d use them. You can feel the difference in spaces that have been made by people who love what they do. That’s what I love about craft - it quietly shapes our days. I hope my own work can add to that in some small way, helping to make spaces where people feel like they belong.