Senior Lecturer
Teaching and supervision
I am a subject specialist in hot glass and digital crafts, and drawing, teaching these at all stages of the BA and up to MA and PhD.
I am also module leader for three modules at undergraduate level and Director of Studies for two PhD students.
Research interests for potential research students
- 3D modelling, Rhinocerous, Blender, Grasshopper
- Glassblowing
- Making
- Digital Crafts
Research
My research focuses on the emerging relationships between 3D modelling and handcraft skills. A back-and-forth method is applied from digital to handmade and back to digital again which opens up new relationships extending the potential of the processes in isolation.
My current work involves 3D scanning of handmade, freeform hot glass objects. Scans are then developed and elaborated virtually in software and then the digital constructions, additions or armatures can be manufactured using cad cam processes.
Parametric modelling techniques are utilised extensively to develop forms by evaluation of the scans of handmade objects, the resulting final sculpture thus explores contrasts between the intuitive and freeform approach and analytical and generative approaches.
Publications
Article
Wadsworth, Fabian, Llewellin, Edward, Rennie, Colin, Watkinson, Cate, Mitchell, Joanna, Vasseur, Jeremie, Mackie, Fleur, Carr, Alexandra, Schmiedel, Tobias, Witcher, Taylor, Soldati, Arianna, Jackson, Lucy E, Foster, Annabelle, Hess, Kai-Uwe, Dingwell, Donald B and Hand, Russell J (2022) Using obsidian in glass art practice. Volcanica Journal, 5 (1). pp. 183-207. ISSN 2610-3540
Watkinson, Cate, Rennie, Colin, Wadsworth, Fabian and Llewellin, Edward (2019) In Vulcan's Forge. Nature Geoscience, 12 (2-3). ISSN 1752-0908
Book Section
Watkinson, Cate, Joanne, Mitchell and Colin, Rennie (2024) Waterjet and Creative Innovation in Higher Education. In: The History of Waterjet Technology – from raw cutting to precision machining. Jenny Stanford Publishing, USA. (Submitted)
Rennie, Colin (2022) Crafting Computation. In: The Glass Reader. Bloomsbury. ISBN 9781350067752 (In Press)
Conference or Workshop Item
Watkinson, Cate and Rennie, Colin (2019) Grosseteste in Glass. ‘Colour is light in a diaphanous medium’ (Gross d.1253). In: Napa Light Festival, 19 Jan 2019, Napa, CA, USA.
Rennie, Colin (2018) Illuminating Golour: Grosseteste in Glass Part 2. In: Science imagination and wonder Robert Grosseteste and His Legacy, 3-6 Apr 2018, Pembroke College Oxford. (Unpublished)
Hayes, Catherine, Fulton, John, Rennie, Colin and Petrie, Kevin (2017) Heads or Tails? A Situational Analysis of Two Signature Pedagogies;an Epistemological Stance for Student Engagement. In: RAISE 2017 Annual Conference – 'Perspectives on student engagement; looking forward…thinking back', 6-8 Sep 2017, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester UK. (Unpublished)
Hayes, Catherine, Fulton, John, Petrie, Kevin, Todd, Claire Richenda, Livingstone, Andrew, Capper, Stephen, Bussey, Sonia and Rennie, Colin (2017) The Artistry of becoming a Scientist in Podiatric Medicine; Transcending and re-connecting Disciplinary Boundaries in Art and Science. In: : Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists Annual Conference, 16-18 Nov 2017, ACC Liverpool. (Submitted)
Rennie, Colin (2015) Crafted Computation. In: New Technologies in Practice, 22-24 Oct 2015, Urban Glass. (Unpublished)
Rennie, Colin (2014) Digital Glass Interface. In: Glassac14, 12 Sep 2014, Durham Universtiy. (Unpublished)
Thesis
Thwaites, Angela (2018) Towards Making the Unmakeable: How 3D Printing Can Inform Kiln Formed Glass Practice in the 21st Century. Doctoral thesis, University of Sunderland.
Artefact
Rennie, Colin and Carr, Alexandra (2024) Only Breath. [Artefact]
Rennie, Colin (2017) Concurentes. [Artefact]
Watkinson, Cate and Rennie, Colin (2016) 'Off the Grid' Silverlink Point. [Artefact]
Rennie, Colin and Watkinson, Cate (2016) "off the grid" silverlink point. [Artefact]
Rennie, Colin and Watkinson, Cate (2015) Helping hands [Sculpture]. [Artefact]
Watkinson, Cate and Rennie, Colin (2015) 'Helping Hands' sculpture. [Artefact]
Rennie, Colin (2013) Modulator and Emitter. [Artefact]
Rennie, Colin (2007) ATP Synthase-Design 4 Science Exhibition. [Artefact]
Show/Exhibition
Rennie, Colin (2018) Magnitudo 1. Toyoma International Glass Festival, Sep 15–Nov 25 2018, Japan.
Rennie, Colin (2018) Light Embodied. Science Imagination and Wonder Conference, 3 Apr-6 Apr 2018, Oxford Pembroke College, UK.
Watkinson, Cate and Rennie, Colin (2018) Embodied Light Exhibition. Pembroke College JCR Art Gallery, 3 Apr-15 Jun 2018, Oxford, UK.
Rennie, Colin (2018) Unknown Apparatus at Fabricated. Queens Hall, 15 Mar-14 Apr 2018, Hexham.
Hutchinson, James, Smith, Dominic, Dickson, Erin, Nissan, Bettina and Rennie, Colin (2018) Fabricated group show Hexham. 10 Mar– 14 Apr 2018, Queens Hall Arts Centre Hexham, UK.
Rennie, Colin and Watkinson, Cate (2017) ‘Illuminating Colour’ exhibition with Colin Rennie at the main gallery of the National Glass Centre, Sunderland. Illuminating Colour, 21 Oct 2017 - 11 Mar 2018, National Glass Centre Sunderland.
Hutchinson, James (2017) 3d Glitch catalogue. 3d glitch, JANUARY 19 2017 - FEBRUARY 10 2017, Filodrammatica Gallery Korzo 28/1, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia.
Rennie, Colin (2013) Digital Glass Interface. Colin Rennie: Digital-Glass Interface, 23 Nov 2013 - 5 Jan 2014, National Glass Centre, University of Sunderland.
Rennie, Colin (2013) International Glass and Clay 2013. Glass and Clay, 1 – 23 Mar 2013, dison Place Gallery 702 Eight Street, NW, Washington, DC 20068Washington DC.
Rennie, Colin (2011) Capsid. Virus: bad news wrapped in protein, 9 Sept 2010 - 9 Oct 2011, The Barn, St Johns College, Oxford.
Wheeler, Shirley (2011) Virus Bad News wrapped in Protein, exhibition, catalogue and curator. Virus Bad New Wrapped in Protein, 9 Sep - 9 Oct 2011, St John's College, Oxford..
Rennie, Colin (2011) Negative Entropy. Kith and Kin: New Glass and Ceramics, 11 Nov 2011-19 Feb 2012, National Glass centre, University of Sunderland.
Rennie, Colin (2010) Flora. Flora - The Botanical Experience, 26 Mar - 29 Sep 2010, glasmuseet Ebeltoft. Ebletoft.
Watkinson, Cate and Rennie, Colin 'Illuminating Colour'exhibition of glass art works. Illuminating Colour, October 2017 to March 2018, National Glass Centre Sunderland.
Other
Rennie, Colin (2021) Crafting Computation: Digital glass interface. [Research Portfolio]. Artefacts and book chapter.
Rennie, Colin (2018) Through a glass darkly [Research Portfolio]. 3 artifacts.
Watkinson, Cate, Rennie, Colin and Gasper, Giles (2016) Through a Glass Darkly project Reading of texts at Seminars/workshops/demonstrations leading to production of experimental artworks. UNSPECIFIED.
Rennie, Colin (2006) Views of order. UNSPECIFIED.
Rennie, Colin Glass sculpture illuminating medieval colour theory [Research Portfolio]. UNSPECIFIED.
- Glassblowing
- Hot glass sculpting
- Coldworking
- Polishing glass
- Rhinoceros 3D modelling
- Blender rendering
- 3D printing
- Waterjet cutting