Dreya Bennett.
I was born in Africa and lived in Lagos until I was 9 then my family moved back to the UK and settled in Cornwall.
Moving to Cornwall at such a young age shaped my passions and my future in so many ways. Having always been in swimming pools and the sea in Africa the love of water intensified on the beautiful beaches and in the crashing Atlantic surf of the Cornish Coastline.
The sea and its different moods have always been in my life.
Being a keen surfer in my teens, my love of playing in and with the elements became all-encompassing when I discovered the thrill of kitesurfing. I was a pioneer in the early days of the sport and set up one of the first kitesurfing schools in the UK. I competed on the world circuit achieving my highest ranking of 3rd in the world. I have also enjoyed other kitesurfing challenges and set a world record by kitesurfing from Cornwall to Ireland (under my maiden name of Wharry).
I discovered Glass by accident, through my landlady whilst studying at Falmouth art college. I fell in love instantly with the look and the process of working with glass and decided to specialise in Architectural Stained Glass at Swansea University.
Though not actively working with glass during my sporting career, the fascination of it never left me. Now that I’m retired from competition, glass is my focus and passion. Its colour, its reflections and the translucent quality instantly captured my heart. To me it has a similar quality to water. It is enigmatic you can look at it, or through it. It is there and not there and can create a potent visual effect, either opulent or subtle. I love the challenge of designing for different buildings, interiors and people, whether a large architectural piece or an intensely personal small piece.
