FOR the first time in its short history, the Canberra Glassworks Fellowship for 2017 to 2018 has been awarded to two artists.

Harriet Schwarzrock, of Queanbeyan, and Steven Ciezki, of Phoenix, Arizona, will each be provided with a dedicated studio at Canberra Glassworks for six months and $10,000 each plus a materials allowance.

The annual Creative Fellowship, supported through community initiatives like the Winter Glass Market and the Collectors Raffle, was conceived by the Glassworks to support the career of an exemplary artist and to foster exchanges of ideas and professional practice within the glass community.

Previous Creative Fellows have been Matthew Curtis and Kirstie Rea.

Rea, as she finishes off her year-long fellowship, is planning to showcase the results in the coming exhibition at the Canberra Museum and Gallery, “Kirstie Rea: the Land”.

Schwarzrock will begin her fellowship in July next year and says she is looking forward to investigating “sculptural neon”, to which she was introduced by British artist Richard Wheater earlier in the year when he held a workshop at the Glassworks.

As for Ciezki, he declares himself excited about the opportunity to come to Australia, saying: “I am excited to share my knowledge and experience from my educational journey within the American Studio Glass movement.”