A Uttoxeter artist who swapped a global engineering career for full-time art has seen two of his distinctive creations installed at Silverstone, where they are displayed alongside works by greats Damien Hirst and Andy Warhol.
Vince Edmunds creates unique glass art gilded with 24 carat gold leaf, a Victorian process which he says he has reimagined for the modern age.
He spent 20 years as a design engineer then worked as a project manager for companies around the world before pursuing art full-time, specialising in automotive-themed pieces inspired by his lifelong passion for cars and motorsport.
His breakthrough came at last year’s Salon Privé luxury automotive and lifestyle event at Blenheim Palace where a portrait of Brazilian racing icon Ayrton Senna caught the eye of a Silverstone director.
The piece, and another of seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, has now been installed at Silverstone’s luxury Escapade development overlooking the famous racing circuit.
Vince told Daily Focus: “As soon as the art director saw my Senna piece at Salon Privé, she said she had to have it at Silverstone.
“I have been an F1 fan for a very long time. To think that GP drivers are now racing within 50 feet of where my pieces are hanging is quite something.
“To have my pieces displayed in the same place as work by Damien Hirst and Andy Warhol is an ambition I never knew I had until I achieved it.”
Vince dabbled with drawing and painting pictures of cars and even ballerinas before finding a niche with his glass art.
He uses a traditional but rarely-used glue chipping technique to create unique, detailed and highly reflective images. Each piece takes between 70 and 80 hours to complete.
Vince added: “No one else in the world does what I’m doing.
“Each piece is totally unique because you could create the same image twice, but the pattern would always be different. It’s something that really needs to be seen in person to appreciate.”
Vince, whose work is held in private collections throughout the UK, Europe and America, is now preparing a new collection for his return to Salon Privé in September.
