CGS exhibits at the World of Glass

Not only has the World of Glass in St Helens, Merseyside, opened its newly reimagined museum galleries, but it is also welcoming back the Contemporary Glass Society (CGS) with a new members’ exhibition in its upgraded exhibition space.

This ‘Festival of Glass’ exhibition runs from 30 September to 17 November 2023 and features the work of over 50 glass artists. Entry was open to all CGS members at any stage of their career but especially CGS Northern members.

There is no specific theme to the exhibition – it is a celebration of the diversity of contemporary glass in all its many facets. However, a highlight of the show will be the range of techniques on display. All work submitted is for sale and features both wall pieces and plinth-based work. It is a great opportunity to buy work from today’s leading glass artists.

Artists taking part are Lyndsay Atkinson, Sandra Balmer, Natalie Baskin, Tulin Bedri, Roland Biermann, Ally Browning, Louise Burns, Caroline Channing, Katharine Coleman MBE, Rachel Craig, Christina Dembinska, Shirley Eccles, Rachel Elliott, Lilly Eris, Hannah Gibson, Cheryl Gould, Helen Grierson, Jianyong Guo, Diane Harding, Laura Hart, Gill Hobson, Ingrid Hunter, Julia Kastler, Allister Malcolm, James Maskrey, Emma Mayle, Anthony McCabe, Graham Miller, Pratibha Mistry, Joanne Mitchell, Wendy Newhofer, Mary Pilkington, Susan Purser Hope, Morag Reekie, David Reekie, Penny Riley- Smith, Daniel Rollitt, Annie Ross, Hadia Roushdy, Layne Rowe, Anne Scott, Annette Sharkey CBE, Oli Shepheard, Cathryn Shilling, Helen Slater-Stokes, Iain Smith, Nancy Sutcliffe, Joanne Turner, Alison Vincent, Jane Vincent, Cara Wassenberg, Kathryn Webley, Frans Wesselman, Hilary Woof and Samantha Yates.

In addition, there will be an opportunity to meet the makers on the opening day, Saturday 30 September, from 2-3pm. There will also be afternoon talks on Saturday 14 October featuring two of the artists taking part in the exhibition, who will talk about their work, the techniques they use and their thoughts on the future. These can be booked through the museum’s website.

Workshops will take place on Saturday 21 October and Saturday 11 November. On each day there will be two morning workshops for children from 10am-12noon and two afternoon workshops for adults from 2-4pm. Again, these can be booked through the museum’s website.

The World of Glass is dedicated to the local history of the town and borough, primarily through the lens of the glass industry. The museum was founded in 2000 and is an amalgamation of the former Pilkington Glass and St Helens Borough Council Collections. The purpose-built premises was constructed adjacent to the Pilkington’s glassworks and the stretch of the St Helens Canal known as the ‘Hotties’. There are glassblowing demonstrations and visitors can see the Victorian furnace and tunnels built in 1887 by William Windle Pilkington.

The show is on from Tuesday to Sunday (10am-4pm).

The World of Glass is at Chalon Way East, St Helens, WA10 1BX, UK. More information via the website: https://worldofglass.com

Image: Shirley Eccles’ ‘Ramshorn Spoon’ will be on display at the CGS World of Glass exhibition.