Ainsley Francis was born in 1984 in Toronto, Canada. Now based in at Edinburgh Contemporary Crafts, Ainsley works largely in engraved and kiln-formed glass, often combining the techniques with simple optics to achieve a unique effect. Having completed her MFA in 2014 at the University of Edinburgh, she has participated in exhibitions in the UK, Europe and North America, including Emerge 2014 at Bullseye Gallery, and exhibitions with the Ontario Crafts Council (Toronto), Galerie am Museum (Frauenau) and Gallery Ten (Edinburgh), and has work in the University of Edinburgh Public Collection. “These objects integrate cameo engraved glass and camera obscura, through them I have aimed to disrupt the idea of essentialism in personal identity. We are always changing, integrating new experiences and influences, going through a process of creating ourselves. These objects reference common metaphors in English, which associate change with inauthenticity, often using ideas of surfaces and interiors as their foundation. Surfaces are presented as changeable; interiors are represented having some essential character. These objects aim to upset this common association, having a stable exterior and an ever-changing interior, positioning changeability in the place of authenticity.”