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Knighthood for stained glass maestro Brian Clarke

Congratulations to innovative stained glass artist Brian Clarke, who has been awarded a knighthood in HM The King’s New Year Honours list 2024.

Speaking in response to the announcement, Clarke said, “I’m feeling very surprised and grateful really. It’s wonderful to get noticed for one’s work, but to get honoured for it too is really very encouraging.

“I am working class by birth and by inclination. My art is for the working class and my public art in stained glass is intended to beautify the corners of the world it occupies.

“The medium that I’m best known for, I used to be best known as a painter, but I think there’s been more attention paid to my stained glass in later years. And it’s a medium that this country has had a thousand years of tremendous history, this medium has impacted on our culture in a substantial way. It’s a wonderful, wonderful medium. It lifts the spirits and helps articulate the nature of architecture. It’s a thrilling medium, and I want it to last as long as it possibly can.

“And so, anything like this, of course, will contribute to supporting the continuation of what is a unique and special part of our visual arts culture.”

Clarke celebrated his 70th birthday in July 2023 and has marked the occasion with his current exhibition, A Great Light, on show at Damien Hirst’s Newport Street Gallery, London, until 7 January 2024. The exhibition is presented by HENI and features works dating from 2002 to the present day.

Since the 1970s, Oldham-born Clarke has drawn stained glass away from its use as religious art through innovations in technology and visual presentation, such as fabricating freestanding stained glass panels without lead, developing Pointillism in glass, as well as through the creation of sculptural stained glass works inspired by collage, made primarily or entirely of lead – thereby pushing the medium to its extremes in both directions: absolute transparency and complete opacity.

The current exhibition shows how flexible and wide-ranging the medium can be. His latest work, ‘Ardath’, is a 42m2 wall of mouth-blown glass, bathing the gallery in light and colour, as flowering meadow motifs build up a rich and dense tapestry in etched glass.

Meanwhile, new work ‘Stroud Ossuary’ depicts hundreds of skulls towering 10m above visitors, with each graphically etched skull carefully placed on traditional lead lines. Other works are on a smaller scale, such as the ‘Kabinettscheiben’, which are based on his latest collages and drawings.

Earlier works are presented in a gallery filled with vibrantly coloured folding screens, layering a multitude of patterns and colours. In contrast, large leadworks create a contemplative environment, filled with reflection and mourning.

Newport Street Gallery states, ‘Large battleships and beachboys from 2002 show Clarke’s continued experimentation with method and process. Triple-layered sheets of dot-matrix glass build up the translucent and transparent image of the battleship as if in a distant haze. The same process was employed on a monumental scale with architects Norman Foster and Partners on the Al Faisaliah Centre, Riyadh.’

Over the years, he has been commissioned by other leading designers, including Japanese architect Arata Isozaki and the late British architect Dame Zaha Hadid, to design stained glass for buildings across the world.

Clarke’s work can be found in the permanent collections of the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, Corning Museum of Glass, New York, and the Tate in London.

Find out more about the A Great Light exhibition here.

Find out more about Brian Clarke via his website.

Fellow British stained glass artist John Reyntiens was awarded an MBE in last year’s 2023 New Year Honours list, alongside Barbara Beadman, who received an MBE for services to the glass industry.


Photo: Brian Clarke with his collage-inspired glass work. Image courtesy Brian Clarke studio.

A-mazing Danish stained glass exhibition

Stained glass works by 13 renowned artists will be displayed in a new exhibition at Glas – Museum of Glass Art in Ebeltoft, Denmark, opening on 20 January 2024.

Entitled ‘The Maze’, the exhibition layout transforms the museum into a labyrinth of colours, figures and stories. It includes works by some of Denmark’s most well-known artists who have worked with stained glass, painted glass and glass mosaic. The exhibition combines works by two younger artists, Esben Weile Kjær and Dutch artist Jeannette Slütter, with works on loan from the master glazier Per Steen Hebsgaard, who has worked closely with the artists for many years.

Other artists represented in the show include Jens Birkemose, Ursula Reuter Christiansen, Erik A Frandsen, Per Kirkeby, Malene Landgreen, Mie Mørkeberg, Bjørn Nørgaard, Inka Sigel, Jan Sivertsen, Arne Haugen Sørensen and Niels Winkel.

The works in the exhibition are integrated into temporary walls, transforming the museum space into a maze. Guests are invited on a journey into the maze and can explore the works from different angles and in various light along the way.

The works are all flat glass panels produced using classic glazing techniques. Visitors will be able to see through the architecture and through some of the works to see a glimpse of other works integrated in the walls behind.

Many different motifs and artistic expressions are included. There are studies of colour, form, line and rhythm in abstract compositions, such as those of Malene Landgreen, Jens Birkemose and Inka Sigel. There are imaginative stories about animals, nature and people by, among others, Jan Sivertsen, Niels Winkel, Ursula Reuter Christiansen and Mie Mørkeberg. There are conceptual reinterpretations of leaded glass panels in a contemporary context by Jeannette Slütter and Esben Weile Kjær. And then there are colourful, figurative compositions in glass mosaic by Arne Haugen Sørensen and Erik A.Frandsen, the 12 Apostles made in painted glass by Bjørn Nørgaard and Per Kirkeby’s graphic and expressive works that combine stained glass, mosaic and lead framing.

The exhibition is on until 29 September 2024 in the modern wing and 3 November 2024 in the old building.

Glas – Museum of Glass Art is at Strandvejen 8, 8400 Ebeltoft, Denmark. Find out more here.

Image: Detail from a stained glass panel by Esben Weile Kjær. Photo: Malle Madsen.

Open call for engraving exhibition

The Glass Factory in Sweden is hosting an exhibition of glass engraving that will celebrate both historical and contemporary works of glass, alongside workshops and demonstrations.

The venue is inviting glass artists to submit glass pieces that incorporate cutting and engraving for the contemporary part of the exhibition, which is called ‘At The Tip Of The Wheel’.

Simon Gate’s famous Bacchus Bowl or Kosta’s famous crystal Tsar’s Bowl could not be made today. There are very few who possess the necessary knowledge today, plus some of the equipment that was used is only preserved in museums. Therefore, At The Tip of The Wheel aims to raise the profile of these at-risk techniques, through a blended historical and contemporary exhibition, complemented with workshops and demonstrations.

The exhibition will bring together historical cut glass objects from the museum collection and contemporary glassworks that incorporate cutting and engraving.

The open call is for the contemporary portion of the show, with objects that utilise at-risk historical cutting and engraving techniques the focus, though the open call is not limited to particular techniques.

The application deadline is 15 January 2024 and the exhibition will take place from 22 June to 31 October 2024.

Anyone interested in submitting work to the exhibition should email a single PDF with the following information to: max.syron@theglassfactory.se

  • Up to 5 works, Maximum 10 photos total
  • Short description of submitted works with dimensions (200 characters
  • Biography and short description of artistic practice (300 characters), plus link to further information (website etc).

The deadline for work to arrive in Sweden is 1 May 2024 and exhibitors must organise their own shipping. Shipping expenses will be covered by The Glass Factory, which will confer with all selected artists about shipping methods. Works outside of Europe are size limited to regular post – no pallet-sized shipments.

The cutting and engraving workshops and demonstrations will take place during the exhibition period, mainly held by The Latheriders, an international contemporary coldworking collective.

Anyone interested in participating in a workshop or leading a demo/workshop, should indicate this in their application.

Location: The Glass Factory, Storgatan 5, 361 97 Boda Glasbruk, Sweden. https://www.theglassfactory.se

Sparkle! contemporary glass exhibition in Somerset

The Contemporary Glass Society (CGS) is delighted to be collaborating with Black Swan Arts in Frome, Somerset, UK, to present an exhibition of glass work by 39 glass artists at different stages of their careers.

Black Swan Arts’ Long Gallery will host ‘Sparkle! A Spectrum of Contemporary Glass’, the application process for which was open to all CGS members, with an emphasis on those based in the Southwest and Midlands regions.

The exhibition shows the dazzling delight of glass in all its facets of light, colour and technique – some presented on plinths and some wall-mounted. It is a true celebration of the diversity of contemporary glass. Plus, all the pieces are for sale.

The artists taking part are Yiran An, Emma Baker, Katrina Beattie, Tulin Bedri, Peter Berry, PJ Buchanan, Madeline Bunyan, Sue Burne, Teresa Chlapowski, Julie Coakley, Beth Colledge, Stevie Davies, Dalia Doron, Shirley Eccles, Rachel Elliott, Hannah Gibson, Jianyong Guo,  Claire Hall, Oliver Hanney, Nick Hasell, Kate Henderson, Ali Jarvis, Wendy Jeavons, Sheenagh McKinlay, Wendy Newhofer, April Owen, Jade Pinnell, Stacey Poultney, Susan Purser Hope, Anna Laura Quintana, Morag Reekie, Donna Richardson, Hadia Roushdy, Bailey Shooter, Sue Sinclair, Alison Vincent, Frans Wesselman, Abigail Wilderspin and Jane Yarnall.

The exhibition runs from Friday 19 January to Sunday 25 February 2024, with a special Meet-the-Makers event from 2-4pm on Saturday 20 January, where the exhibitors will chat about their artworks.

In addition, the Glass Hub educational centre, based a few miles away near Trowbridge, will be supporting the event by holding an open studio event where it will welcome visitors to see all its glass making provisions and provide demonstrations of glass making.

Black Swan Arts is at 2 Bridge Street, Frome, Somerset BA11 1BB, UK.

Image: (left)’Marbles Anyone’ by Morag Reekie, (right) ‘Grey Trio Stop’ by Rachel Elliott.

Talk on Émile Gallé and René Lalique

Renowned glass authority Charles Hadjamach will be addressing The Arts Society Stourbridge on the topic, ‘Émile Gallé and René Lalique: Masters of Art Nouveau and Art

Deco glass’ on 11 January 2024.

Charles is one of the top authorities on glass in the UK and his talk will contrast the achievements of these two great French masters of glass.

Charles was Director of the former Broadfield House Glass Museum, Kingswinford, UK, from 1974 to 2003 and is the author of numerous books and articles on glass.

The presentation takes place at Stourbridge Town Hall, commencing at 10.55am. The Hall is based at the Crown Centre, Crown Lane, Stourbridge DY8 1YE, UK.

Guest tickets are priced at £5. For further information email: info@theartssocietystourbridge.org.uk

Image: Art Nouveau glass was the speciality of Gallé.

Exhibition charting studio glass evolution features Harvey K Littleton

A new exhibition traces the evolution of the studio glass movement across six decades and includes glass made by US studio glass pioneer and educator Harvey K Littleton.

Approximately 40 works have been selected from the Simona and Jerome Chazen studio glass collection for the ‘Look What Harvey Did: Harvey K. Littleton’s Legacy’ exhibition, with each piece chosen to demonstrate technical and conceptual advancements in glassmaking from functional ware to fine art.

A view of the exhibition.

The show has launched at the Chazen Museum of Art, located at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, US.

Littleton’s works appear alongside renowned artists who have followed his lead, including Michael Aschenbrenner, Dale Chihuly, Daniel Clayman, Dan Dailey, Clifford Rainey, Ginny Ruffner, Lino Tagliapietra and many others. The exhibition also explores other developments in the field, such as collaboration and the changing demographics of glass artists.

Even though the collection spans primarily the last decades of the 20th century, the show promises an illuminating perspective on how Littleton’s advocacy of glass as a vehicle for contemporary expression evolved into a recognised movement that continues to impact 21st-century art.

Beginning his affiliation with the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1951 as head of ceramics, Littleton organised the seminal 1962 Toledo Museum of Art workshops that enabled artist-craftsmen in ceramics to explore glass. Shortly thereafter, he established America’s first university-level, hot glass programme on the university’s campus.

Until Littleton’s intervention, except for a few forerunners, glass was used primarily in factories for functional wares. Littleton’s approach eliminated the rift between designer and fabricator that invariably plagued production in these shop settings over the centuries, while empowering artists to work with glass within the confines of their studios.

During the early years of studio glass, in their respective ways, artists in the Chazen collection – such as American artist Dale Chihuly, Czech artists Stanislav Libenský and Jaroslava Brychtová and Italian artist Lino Tagliepietra – demonstrated the necessity for collaboration and teamwork.

Other artists, such as Howard Ben Tré and Bertil Vallien, incorporated specific resources from particular glass factories into their own studio practices. Littleton’s call for glass artists to reduce emphasis on technique in favour of content was heard internationally.

American Michael Aschenbrenner and Australian Scott Chaseling address topical issues from the last decade of the 20th century in their works. Concept and narrative are now central to glass art.

In addition, the demographics of glassmaking have changed over the years. Pioneers such as Mary Shaffer, Toots Zynsky, and Therman Statom have paved the way for women and people of colour in the contemporary glass field. In these and many other ways, the exhibition is a persuasive testament to the far-reaching vision of Harvey K Littleton.

‘Look What Harvey Did’ is guest-curated by Davira S Taragin for the Chazen Museum of Art. It is on until 16 August 2024.

The University of Wisconsin’s Chazen Museum of Art is at 750 University Avenue, Madison, WI 53706, US. Find out more via the website.

Image: Harvey K Littleton’s ‘Triple Loops’ (1978) features furnace-worked barium/potash glass with Kugler colour. Photo courtesy of Simona Chazen.

Glass artists win QEST funding

Four glass artists are among 28 makers given funding by the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust (QEST) in its Autumn round of awards. The money will support their training and education, strengthening the future of the UK’s craft industry.

Of the 28 makers, 15 are Scholars, 10 are Emerging Makers (QEST’s newest grant programme) and three are Apprentices.

Recent Contemporary Glass Society feature artist Eddy Bennett receives the QEST D’Oyly Carte Charitable Trust Scholarship to develop his reverse glass sign painting skills.

Eddy will embark on one-on-one training with David Smith MBE, learning brilliant cutting as well as the skills for traditional silvering for mirror making – techniques Eddy says have been on his ‘to do’ list to master. Eddy will learn how to perform V cuts, edge cuts, punties, ovals and more. He will therefore be able to create mirrors in his own studio, using David’s formula.

Co-founder, director and manager at The Glass Hub, KT Yun will use her QEST scholarship award to fuse art with science to make insects out of glass. She will undertake a training programme with four specialist glass makers: Helga Watkins Baker, Scott Benefield (QEST Alumni), Andrea Spencer (QEST Alumni) and Steve Frey. KT will work with these four makers to explore kiln forming, hot glass ‘pick-ups’, flame working and cold-working techniques, alongside other technical skills that push the boundaries of glass making.

KT aims to use her new knowledge to produce a body of work for the Natural History Museum in 2025.

Catherine Dunstan and Annahieta Seyed alizadeh oskooi are two of the recipients of the new Emerging Maker grants.

Catherine has an MA in Glass from the University for the Creative Arts. She specialises in pattern-making with glass. She is a self-employed glass artist, author, teacher and mentor who is eager to develop her skills in the hot shop.

Her QEST training will involve four days at the Devereux & Huskie hot shop with tutor and QEST Alumni Katherine Huskie. Catherine will focus on advancing skills in hot sculpting and glass blowing techniques, to expand on the expertise gained during her MA studies. Hands-on training will allow Catherine to learn various glass handling and sculpting techniques, including pick-ups, torch work, tooled manipulation, and annealing.

Annahieta Seyed alizadeh oskooi is the QEST Garfield Weston Foundation Emerging Maker. She is a self-taught sign writer and reverse glass gilder passionate about combining water gilding and signwriting with a modern twist.

Her QEST funding will enable her to participate in a five-day workshop with master gilder Richard Walker, learning how to apply gold leaf and other metals to glass, creating decorative effects, blending colours and drawing into gold to make bespoke pieces of art.

Annahieta will also take a year-long programme with her mentor and sign writer Beccy Roberts, undertaking weekly practice sessions covering letter formation, typography, kerning, marbling, font memorisation, 3D lettering and more.

The next round of QEST funding applications opens at 10am on Monday 8 January and closes at 5pm on Monday 12 February 2024. For more information click here.

Image: Glass work by KT Yun, whose ambition is to represent the beauty of the insect world in glass and in doing so, pursue an evolution in glassmaking.

European Prize for Applied Arts call for entries

Irish and European artists and artisans (but sadly not British ones) are invited to apply for the European Prize for Applied Arts 2024, to be held in Belgium.

Launched in 2009, in partnership with the City of Mons in Belgium, the WCC-Europe and supported by the Ministry of Culture of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation, the European Prize for Applied Arts rewards creations of contemporary expression in the field of applied arts and craft design.

This competition is open to all artists working in the field of applied arts and crafts residing in a country that is a member of the Customs Union of the European Union and not subject to customs charges for transport to and from Belgium. Eligible countries are: Austria, Azores, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madeira, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden.

The works selected for the competition must be of a high standard, both technically and aesthetically, as well as innovative.

There are two prizes: €3,500 awarded by the Ministry of Culture of the Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles and €3,500 awarded by WCC-Europe.

The deadline for applicaations is 14 January 2024.

The award ceremony takes place on 23 November 2024, with the exhibition open from 24 November 2024 to 16 February 2025.

The location for the event is Les Anciens Abattoirs, 17/02, rue de la Trouille, 7000 Mons, Belgium.

Find out more about the rules here and apply using this form.

Stained glass roundel design competition

Stained glass artists and students are invited to enter the prestigious Reflections of The Lord Mayor (#LMReflects) Professional Stained Glass Artists competition.

This is an opportunity to create a one-of-a-kind roundel design to commemorate Alderman Nicholas Lyons’s mayoralty as the 694th Lord Mayor of the City of London (2022-23).

The brief is to design and craft a nine-inch diameter masterpiece using stained and painted glass. The design should also be accompanied by a compelling narrative that brings its story to life and resonates with the Lord Mayor speaker.

This latest competition is open to seasoned stained glass artist or those on a glass education programme and is an opportunity to showcase talent and be part of an event that celebrates the beauty of stained and painted glass.

Submissions are open from 8 January 2024 to 8 March 2024.

Hear Alderman Nicholas Lyons’s call for entries in a video via this link.

For more details and to submit your entry (from 8 January), click here.

Competition for emerging stained glass artists

The British Society of Master Glass Painters (BSMGP) has announced a competition to design and make a stained glass window for the RAF Club in London’s Piccadilly.

The competition is open to emerging artists of any age resident in the UK who have yet to undertake major commissions and expressions of interest are needed by 12 January 2024.

Up to four artists will be selected from the applicants to visit the site and produce a design, with each artist receiving a modest fee of £300. The selected artists will be paired with an experienced mentor to help guide them through the process.

The brief is to depict the badge of the RAF Auxiliary Squadron and the choice of technique is open, from traditional to modern.

Shortlisted applicants will be announced on 2 February 2024 and will be invited to visit the RAF Club the following week. Designs must be submitted by the end of March.

A judging panel of representatives drawn from the BSMGP, the RAF Club, the Royal Auxiliary Air Force and the Beaverbrook Foundation (who are funding the commission) will select the winning design from the shortlisted entries.

The winning piece must be completed by the middle of July 2024.

All entrants must be BSMGP members. Anyone wishing to take part who is not yet a member can join here.

Full details and expressions of interest via this link.