Award winning Glass Artisan Kaylene Higgs creates quirky glass artworks and bespoke jewellery from her Sandy Beach Studio on Russell Island.
Kaylene has been working with Glass for around 20 years. Born and raised in North Queensland, Kaylene attributes much of her work to her childhood adventures, the colours of Great Barrier Reef and Tropical Rainforests.
“The Colours I am most attracted to are calming blues and sea colour greens, my mermaid colours I call them. The aqua, teals and turquoise, violets, lilac and purples, with a bright splash of pink gold and magenta to liven things up.”
Kaylene explores hot glass and kiln forming techniques, enabling her to stretch, manipulate and form glass into objects that depict our coastal lifestyle and connection to the Bay.
Inspired by visiting world famous glass artist Dale Chihuly’s exhibition in Adelaide in 2024 which ignited a desire in her to think big, outside the box, and if it isn’t challenging then it isn’t worth doing.
“It appeals to me that glass is infinitely recyclable making it the ultimate sustainable medium.”
Her current work explores the story of glass and it’s connection to our unique coastal environment formed over time by the movement of sand. Her piece entitled Under One Sun has won the 2025 Queensland Regional Art award for peoples choice. In April 2025 her stunning dichroic glass jewellery was exhibited in the Gallery of excellence at the Las Vegas Glass expo.
“The Jewellery I create is wearable art. I strive to design super stylish pieces of art in their own right. I want my art to make you feel proud you are wearing something as unique as yourself”
