Many of us have been enjoying the third series of BBC1’s popular ‘Make it at Market’ (available now on iPlayer), featuring two stained glass artists among the various creative crafters this time. Now there is a new podcast series to complement the programmes, hosted by the TV series’ presenter Dom Chinea.
Called ‘My Crafting Life’, the podcasts share the real stories behind creative careers, with Dom having inspiring chats with makers, mentors, and creatives who’ve turned their passion into a profession.
Episode 5 (launching on 22 April 2025 at 1pm) features stained glass artist Charlotte Savill. She talks about how her grief, and cold-water swimming, sparked the start of a creative journey that led her to leave her day job, and build a sustainable in business.
Other interviewees include ornamental glass artist Dave Smith MBE, who is a master of glass embossing, gilding and signwriting.
Listen to all episodes on Spotify or Apple Podcasts via the links below:
Contemporary artworks by internationally recognised, award-winning glass artist Hannah Gibson will be shown alongside outstanding glass objects from the Robert Opie collection at the Museum of Brands in London this summer.
Opening on 30 May 2025, the ‘Glass Renewed’ exhibition brings together Hannah Gibson’s ‘Recycling Narratives: Whispering Sweet Nothings’ series, exhibited for the first time in its entirety, with pieces from the Robert Opie collection, such as an ancient glass vessel, Victorian Codd bottles and a contemporary rarity: an exclusive limited edition Johnnie Walker Blue Label Ultra.
Robert Opie is a consumer historian who founded the museum in 1984, when it was originally located in Gloucester. As the collection expanded, the museum relocated to Notting Hill in London.
Glass Renewed will explore the materiality and sustainability of glass, delving into the history of glass making, the beauty of glass, and the future of its production.
‘Recycling Narratives: Whispering Sweet Nothings’ explores materiality, sustainability, and the hidden narratives within everyday objects. Central to Hannah’s practice is the innovative use of recycled glass and found materials – from television screens and Jägermeister bottles to car windscreens. While the form of the glass is transformed, she strives to retain and honour as much of the original material as possible, allowing its past life to remain present in the final work.
Glass Renewed will also feature information and samples from sustainability studies in glass bottle manufacturing, currently undertaken by global drinks company, Diageo. Many of the themes in the artwork resonate with the Museum’s Sustainability workshop.
Hannah Gibson commented, “Exhibiting at the Museum of Brands is an absolute joy and an incredible honour! It is a magical oasis of pure delight and holds a very special place in my heart. I can barely contain my excitement – this is truly a dream come true!”
Alice Kain, Museum of Brands’ curator, stated, “We are thrilled to show Hannah Gibson’s artwork here at the Museum of Brands. Hannah’s work resonates with the collection, telling stories with iconic brands that make our visitors see the world around them in new ways. Hannah’s work reveals the process of glassmaking and aligns beautifully with the sustainability and consumer history workshops the museum offers. This exhibition will provide our visitors with a visual delight; showcasing Hannah’s stunning artworks alongside never-before-seen glass from the Robert Opie Collection.”
The Glass Renewed exhibition is on from 30 May-17 August 2025.
The Museum of Brands is at 111-117 Lancaster Road, Notting Hill, London W11 1QT. Opening times: Monday-Saturday 10am-5pm. Closed on Sundays. Find out more via the website.
Image: ‘The Recycling Narratives: Whispering Sweet Nothings’ series made by Hannah Gibson features figures made from all sorts of recycled glass. Photo courtesy of Museum of Brands.
Emma Baker’s love of glassblowing has taken her around the world to develop her practice. Her recent pieces focus on investigating the materiality of glass and she has recently set up her own studio space. Linda Banks finds out more.
What led you to start working with glass?
In 2010 I started on an Applied Arts course at Bournemouth University with the intention of becoming a silversmith or jewellery maker. The course was structured so that we worked with metals, clay and hot glass. We did sandcasting as our first introduction to hot glass which, if I’m completely honest, I wasn’t particularly interested in. However, six months later when we started learning the basics of glassblowing that was it, my desire to become a silversmith vanished and I was hooked by the challenges and allure of glassblowing.
What glass techniques have you used, and which do you prefer?
During my studies I was able to try many different glass techniques. I love the potential of coldworking glass and the visuals of cut glass, but I realised early on that I feel the cold too much to be in a coldworking studio. I prefer to work in 3D as opposed to stained glass or mosaic making, and the immediacy and characteristics of glassblowing are what make it my preference. However, I do enjoy the independence of kiln-forming and being able to put work in a kiln, leave the programme to run and see the result.
As time has passed and my relationship with glassmaking has evolved, I’m leaning towards more accessible forms of glassworking, like kiln work or engraving, as it provides a balance between being creative and life and work.
‘The Tale of Three Knots’ was made during a Masterclass run by James Maskrey at North Lands Creative. It was inspired by a tale of local fishermen and witchcraft in Lybster, it features three glass knots entwined with rope found on Lybster Harbour and placed inside a clear glass barrel wrapped with bicarbonate of soda glass canes to represent the barrel hoops. Photo: Angus Mackay.
Please tell us more about your creative approach. Do you draw your ideas out or dive straight in with the materials?
My inspiration comes from experiences and memories. In my early works, I created objects in glass that featured my memories of loved ones. Often I used found objects to convey the narrative of the piece. I would sketch these works on paper first, playing around with composition and design before creating and assembling the final components. My more recent works have been based on experimenting with the material, seeing how it can, and wants to, behave. For these pieces I sketch more abstractly, focussing on colour combinations, scale or quantity. As these works are all about the material’s characteristics, they are created almost exclusively in the studio, since the finer details of the finished piece isn’t predetermined.
Do you have a favourite piece or collection you have made? Why is it your favourite?
Early on I created two works in the ‘Idiosyncrasies’ series. These are made in memory of my grandparents and celebrate objects that have a strong association to them. I was hugely focussed on prioritising narrative through my glass work at this point and these pieces allowed me to challenge my skills in glassblowing at the same time. Trying to make an apple in glass that actually looked like an apple definitely kept me on my toes.
‘Idiosyncrasies I’. Emma made this piece to remember her grandfather who made her ‘dippy eggs’ and let her cut his apple at lunchtime. Photo: David Williams.
‘Idiosyncrasies II’ pays tribute Emma’s late Nanna, celebrating her collection of fridge magnets, her love of tea and her hospitable nature. Photo: Juraj Ladziansky.
As my work has evolved and I’ve become ever more focussed on how the material behaves, I really enjoy making the ‘Torsion’ works and the latest series I’m working on. These latest works challenge my glassblowing on a technical level but also celebrate the characteristics of the material.
Where do you show and sell your work?
I apply and take part in as many exhibitions as possible to showcase my work. I’ll look at any opportunity that gets the work out of the box and on show. They can be smaller, local exhibitions or larger scale events, like the British Glass Biennale. I aim for three exhibitions or shows a year and any more is a bonus. It’s always a treat to get an invite to show work, which saves on the application administration. Pieces from the ‘Torsion’ series are available through Vessel Gallery in London and all my works are shown on my website.
Pieces from the ‘Torsion’ series investigating the materiality of glass, developed using heat and rotation. Photo: Simon Bruntnell.
Where is your creative practice heading next?
Over the past six months I have been undertaking a residency at Sunderland University’s glass department as part of the AA2A programme, which provides artist residencies and professional practice development at various art and design institutions across England. This has given me the opportunity to delve into the experimentation and development of my ‘Flux’ series. It has also provided me with the support and security to explore and identify the values I enjoy in glassmaking, taking a step back from the demands and pressures of having to create and instead finding joy in the process again.
Blown glass sample pieces and preparatory drawings made during the AA2A residency. Photo courtesy of the artist.
I am also one of four lucky recipients of the Contemporary Glass Society’s Amanda Moriarty prize, and I can’t wait to be at the Teign Valley Glass studio in May 2025. As I balance my creative practice with part-time work, these residency opportunities are invaluable. They allow me time to escape and submerge myself back into creativity alongside providing the facilities and support to create.
This last year has been full of momentum for me so it’s all about maintaining that as much as I can. I recently received an Honorary Diploma from the Jutta Cuny-Franz Foundation which is a huge recognition for me and is extremely exciting.
I’m currently setting up a studio space. It has no furnace or glassblowing facilities, but I have a small kiln in a space I can immerse and surround myself with ideas and inspiration. What’s next? Setting off my kiln for its first firing.
About the artist
Emma Baker perfecting her glass skills at Devereux and Huskie Glassworks. Photo: Megan Gallacher.
Emma has worked with glass for over 10 years, initially encountering the material whilst studying Applied Arts at Bournemouth University, then moving on to receive her BA(hons) from Sunderland University in 2014.
Her passion for learning and understanding the material has driven her to work with an abundance of glassmakers in a variety of locations. In 2019 she became one of two Associate Artists at North Lands Creative, a two-year programme supporting and developing the practice of glass artists. She spent 2020 living and working in Bergen, Norway keeping the furnace alight at S12 Galleri og Verksted. In the summer of 2022, she was invited on an international glass exchange by the National Glas Museum in Leerdam, Holland, to create work that is now held in its public collection.
Emma has been awarded residencies at Berlin Glas, The Glass Factory, S12 Bergen and North Lands Creative.
Her work has been shown across the UK and Europe, including the Crafts Council’s Collect 2023, London. She has received scholarship funding to the US and has worked on international cross-cultural projects supported by British Council Scotland and Creative Europe. She has also been a teaching assistant at Corning Museum of Glass, Bild-Werk Frauenau and North Lands Creative.
Find out more about Emma Baker via her website: www.emmabakerglass.com and follow her on Instagram: @_emmbaker
Main feature image: ‘Flux Noir’ is one of Emma’s recent creations, made during her AA2A residency. Photo: Simon Bruntnell.
Applications for the 2025 Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust (QEST) and Heritage Crafts Sustainability Award are now open. This award, now in its third year, recognises craftspeople across the UK who have taken significant steps to reduce their environmental impact and improve the sustainability of their craft practices.
Glass artists have been successful recipients of the award in previous years. In 2023 Lulu Harrison, a QEST Johnnie Walker Scholar, was recognised for incorporating waste from local fishing industries into her glass pieces. Then well-known contemporary glassblower Allister Malcolm, whose studio is based at Stourbridge Glass Museum, won the award in 2024.
The Sustainability Award celebrates makers who have made measurable changes to their materials, processes, or introduced innovative approaches to reduce their environmental footprint within the past 12 months. Craftspeople working with traditional skills or materials, who have embraced sustainability and contributed to the long-term viability of their businesses, are encouraged to apply.
Through the partnership with Heritage Crafts, the award aims to showcase excellence in sustainable craft and promote innovative practices that ensure the UK’s rich craft sector continues to thrive for future generations.
There are two award categories in 2025, each designed to highlight different approaches to sustainability in craft:
Innovative Approaches to Environmental Sustainability
This category is for those who have demonstrated a unique and innovative approach to environmental sustainability. The recipient will have pioneered a ground-breaking solution, technique or process that challenges conventional wisdom and inspires others in the craft sector to explore new methods of working sustainably.
Incremental Changes to Environmental Sustainability
This category recognises craftspeople who have made incremental, yet substantial, improvements to the environmental impact of their business. By implementing practical initiatives to reduce waste, conserve resources and mitigate environmental harm over time, the recipient will have shown a steadfast commitment to making their practice more sustainable.
You can apply yourself or nominate another craftsperson or micro-business for the QEST and Heritage Crafts Sustainability Award. Each winner will receive a £1,000 prize and an invitation to attend a prestigious awards ceremony hosted by Heritage Crafts in November 2025.
Applications are open until 1 July 2025.
Find out more and apply or nominate via this link on the Heritage Crafts website.
Masterclass: Advancing sustainability in your craft practice with QEST and Heritage Crafts
On 8 April 2025, from 12pm–1pm, QEST is hosting a free Zoom masterclass online to explore how you can practically enhance sustainability in your craft practice.
Hosted by QEST and Heritage Crafts, guest speakers will be the two winners of the 2024 QEST and Heritage Crafts Sustainability Award – Allister Malcolm and jeweller and metalworker Rachael Colley. Allister and Rachael will explore the ways they’ve reduced the environmental impact of their craft practice, how they’ve measured their success and how you can communicate your sustainability story effectively.
Members of the Contemporary Glass Society (CGS) are invited to apply to exhibit at the prestigious London Glassblowing in June 2025. This curated exhibition will be on the theme ‘Mirage’ and will celebrate glass’s 4th dimension.
CGS is delighted to collaborate with London Glassblowing once again. Peter Layton of London Glassblowing was one of the founding members of CGS and is still a guiding light and one of the foremost promoters of contemporary glass in the UK.
CGS glass artists from across the UK are invited to submit their most captivating and innovative pieces, which push the boundaries of the visual illusions that can be achieved through the incredible medium of glass. We want to showcase the magic and mystery that glass can embody with craft pieces that manipulate form, colour and light to challenge the viewer’s perceptions. We aim to show a cross-section of glassmaking techniques.
Overseas CGS members can apply for inclusion in the Gallery’s online exhibition catalogue at a reduced fee, but will not be included in the physical exhibition. However, work included in the online catalogue will be for sale and seen as part of the overall Mirage exhibition.
The work of the selected UK CGS glass artists will be displayed in the gallery from 6-29 June 2025 and included in the gallery’s online catalogue.
Work should have been made since January, 2023 or can be made especially in response to the exhibition’s theme. Up to two pieces of work can be submitted, or a group of small pieces. Work must comprise at least 50% glass. Maximum size of an individual piece of work or group of related pieces is:
Freestanding: 40 x 40 x 40cm
Wall hung: 60 x 60cm
Submissions must be made via CuratorSpace. The deadline for applications is 31 March 2025.
A panel comprising Peter Layton, Sarah Brown (CGS Chair) and an independent artist will make the selection in early April 2025. If your work is chosen, the Gallery will contact you and send you its own contract to complete. You should be notified by 21 April 2025.
Selected artists’ work will be showcased at London Glassblowing alongside established names in the glass art community, including Peter Layton, Anthony Scala, Layne Rowe, Tim Rawlinson and Sila Yucel.
Applications are invited from glass artists for the 2025 Venice Glass Week, the ninth annual international glass festival taking place across the city of Venice and Murano, Italy, from 13–21 September.
Individuals and organisations can submit proposals for exhibitions and installations as well as conferences, lectures, demonstrations and more. Applicants can either propose their own event venue or apply to exhibit at one of The Venice Glass Week HUBs (or request support in sourcing another venue elsewhere in the city).
There will be a HUB Under35 exhibition space for artists and designers aged 18-35 at the Fondazione Bevilacqua La Masa, Galleria di Piazza San Marco (St Mark’s Square), in the heart of Venice. Up to three artworks per artist can be displayed here.
For artists and designers aged 36 and over, HUB – Campo Santo Stefano will be hosted in the Palazzo Loredan, home of the Istituto Veneto di Scienze, Lettere ed Arti in Campo Santo Stefano, one of the most popular squares in the city. Again, artists can apply to show up to three artworks in the ground floor and first floor galleries of this historic space.
It is free to apply to take part in The Venice Glass Week 2025, and there is no Festival participation fee. However, with the exception of The Venice Glass Week HUBs, participants are entirely and independently responsible for all costs and administration relating to the planning, organisation and running of their individual events.
For more information about the festival, click here to view a Festival Presentation PDF (which includes further details of how to apply with links to the conditions of participation and application forms for the HUBs and other events) or visit www.theveniceglassweek.com and go to the Applications tab.
Note the application deadline is Wednesday, 16 April 2025.
Fresh from her successful exhibition at Collect 2025 in London, Rebecca Tanda explains how she combines pâte-de-verre and flameworking techniques to create unique art and wearable pieces. Linda Banks finds out more.
What led you to start working with glass?
I was educated in sculpture and print making, but not in a specific medium. However, this gave me confidence with making and casting moulds. Glass had always fascinated me and I gradually developed ways of working with it outside of a hot shop context. For a while, this meant embedding glass into liquid silicone and then sewing this rubbery-sharp matter together to arrive at dimensional forms.
Several years later, I am based in Zwiesel in Bavaria, Germany, with my studio in the neighbouring Frauenau. Both towns are historically well known for their glass production and critical role in the development of the studio glass movement in Europe. I am lucky to be part of a new generation of glassmakers, both local and farther afield, who are settling and setting up studios in this region.
‘A Scaffold that is a Shackle that is a Shell’ collection (2024). Photo: Taja Spasskova.
What glass techniques have you used, and which do you prefer?
I work with pâte-de-verre and flameworking, finding ways of combining these two processes to create work that is wearable and for the wall. I feel really close to both approaches, because of the direct, tactile relationship with the glass that they offer the maker. I also really enjoy the physicality and concentration that go into the process of model and mould making, and then, ultimately, the pâte-de-verre process itself. I combine these two methods primarily by weaving and shaping borosilicate glass rods through holes in the delicate pâte-de-verre to arrive at a finished work that is fragile but mutually reinforcing.
‘Mollusca’ wearable art held by Barbora Pospíšilová, part of ‘Scaffold that is a Shackle that is a Shell’ collection. Photo: Taja Spasskova.
Please tell us more about your creative approach. Do you draw your ideas out or dive straight in with the materials?
I dedicate time to sketching and model making. It is usually a basic drawing that I combine with collages to solidify ideas about texture, proportions and colour palette. This will eventually crystalize into a nearly to-scale cardboard model or drawing. As I work a lot with negative space and have to think about how and where things join and link up, armature wire also plays a pretty important role. I also keep a physical collection of textures and moulds, which may make little cameo appearances in pieces.
‘Moonfish Interlude: elevate’ is made from soda-lime and borosilicate glass. Photo: Iona Wolff.
What message(s) do you want to convey through your art?
I seek to show glass as something that is resilient and unexpected and hope to challenge all preconceptions that a viewer may have. Formally exploring the boundaries between object, ornament and sculpture, is something that continues to motivate me and guides how I think about abstraction at large. Fragility as a theme is also a quiet presence, from which my interest in negative space and opening up a form, or making it as porose as possible, stems, followed by working back into it and reinforcing it with the torch work. The history of pâte-de-verre as a medium in and of itself also plays role.
Where the French revivalists and Art Noveau were glorifying and beautifying nature, I am more interested in pushing it in the direction of the surreal or sci-fi but still heavily referencing organic forms. Fantasy, geology and folk art also influence my aesthetic greatly.
What is your favourite tool or piece of equipment and why?
For a while it has been a pack (five in total) of ‘third-hand’ angled and adjustable tweezers on a base. I had seen goldsmiths using these to hold small pieces of metal while they are being soldered. I have adapted the tweezers for glass rods and use them to hold the rods in place while I connect them with a hand torch through the pâte-de-verre.
Rebecca Tanda at work in her studio in Bavaria, using the ‘third hand’ tweezers. Photo courtesy of the artist.
Do you have a favourite piece or collection you have made? Why is it your favourite?
It is not necessarily my favourite, but I am really excited by the ‘Suture’ pieces. They are fused borosilicate frit and rod, which is then brought out of the kiln and manipulated directly by the torch. Extra rod is then hot-joined to the frame of the fused piece and stitched back into itself to create these tapestry-like pieces. Working with borosilicate frit in this way was a big leap for me in my practice.
Rebecca Tanda is excited by these ‘Sutures’ pieces made from borosilicate glass. Photo: Iona Wolff.
Where do you show and sell your work?
I aim to present at exhibitions and fairs in Europe that are glass relevant, but also at those for sculpture and jewellery more generally. This is important, especially as I am
located in a rural setting. Recently, with funding from the Alexander-Tutsek Foundation, I had the opportunity to show my newest body of work at Collect in London with Collect Open, the fair’s platform for pioneering and thought-provoking craft installations by individual artists. This was my first time exhibiting not only in London, but in the UK (and I hope that it won’t be the last time).
Soon I will be showing some new wearable pieces at Pistachios Gallery in Chicago, USA, which I am incredibly excited (and nervous) about. I also have a web shop and take commissions for wall pieces, but also more generally for projects that are kiln or flameworking related.
Rebecca Tanda wearing a piece of her art and holding one of her ‘Sutures’ pieces. Photo: Iona Wolff.
Where is your creative practice heading next?
I am interested in scaling up the borosilicate ‘Suture’ pieces and working with interior designers and lighting designers on more commercial or site-specific projects.
Find out more about Rebecca Tanda and her work via her website and follow her on Instagram.
‘Moonfish Interlude: extended play’ (2025), is made from soda-lime and borosilicate glass and measures 42 x 20 x 6cm. Photo: Iona Wolff.
Main featureimage: ‘Embellish/overbear’ (2025) uses borosilicate and soda-lime glass. Techniques employed include pâte-de-verre, slumping and flame working and the piece measures 50 x 27 x 10cm. Photo courtesy of the artist.
Alexander Goodger, Director of Stourbridge Glass Museum, discusses the benefits of membership for glass artists, including a new festival showcasing glass and exclusive networking opportunities.
Nestled in the heart of the Midlands, Stourbridge Glass Museum stands as a beacon of glassmaking heritage, the home of glass art, showcasing centuries of craftsmanship, innovation, and artistry and a whole floor of studio glass exhibitions. I am thrilled to invite you to join us as a member and become an integral part of preserving and celebrating the rich legacy of glass.
Why become a member?
Membership of Stourbridge Glass Museum is more than just a ticket to explore our stunning exhibitions; it’s an opportunity to support a vital cultural institution and immerse yourself in the world of glass. Whether you’re a glass artist, a glass collector, a history buff, or simply someone who appreciates beauty and craftsmanship, your membership helps us continue our mission to inspire, educate, and preserve.
As a member, from only £15, you’ll enjoy exclusive benefits, including:
Unlimited free entry to the museum for a year*
Invitations to exhibition openings and special events
10 per cent discount on most items in our shop
Regular e-newsletters with behind-the-scenes insights and updates.
*Excludes activities included in museum admission
Supporting vital projects
Your membership directly supports the museum’s collection and initiatives. From funding rotating exhibitions and restoration projects to acquiring important pieces for our world-renowned collection, your contribution ensures that the legacy of glassmaking continues to thrive.
A new era for contemporary glass artists
In the wake of the International Festival of Glass’s departure from Stourbridge in 2024, Stourbridge Glass Museum is stepping up to fill the void in this region by launching a new glass festival and expanding our exhibition programming. This is an exciting opportunity for contemporary glass artists to shine and shape this new festival.
As a member, you’ll be among the first to know about upcoming opportunities for artists, including:
Exhibition callouts: Contemporary artists will receive first callouts when we curate new exhibitions, providing a platform to showcase their work to a global audience
Glass festival participation: Our new glass festival will celebrate innovation and creativity in glassmaking, offering artists the chance to exhibit, demonstrate, and connect with collectors and enthusiasts
Networking and collaboration: Members will gain access to exclusive events where they can meet fellow artists, collectors, patrons and industry leaders, fostering collaboration and inspiration.
Membership options to suit everyone
We offer a range of membership options to suit individuals, families, and organisations:
Single Membership (£15/year): Perfect for individuals who want unlimited access to the museum and exclusive event invitations
Joint Membership (£30/year): Ideal for two adults at the same address who wish to explore the museum together
Family Membership (£32/year): Designed for two adults and up to two children, offering a year of discovery for the whole family
Patron Membership (£200/year): Enjoy enhanced benefits, including event tickets and an annual invite to our birthday celebration with wine and canapés
Crystal Corporate Membership (£250/year): Tailored for businesses, offering discounts on events and venue hire
Cameo Corporate Membership (£1,000/year): Includes free museum entry for up to 20 people and a wine-tasting event
Lifetime Membership (£5,000): The ultimate commitment to glass heritage, featuring a bespoke piece of glass art, a plaque on the museum wall, and lifelong access for you and five guests.
Join today and make a difference
By becoming a member, you’re not just gaining access to one of the world’s most significant glass collections – you’re helping to preserve and promote this extraordinary art form for future generations. Your support enables us to continue hosting exhibitions, educational programmes, and live glassmaking demonstrations that captivate and inspire visitors from around the globe.
For contemporary artists, your membership opens doors to new opportunities, ensuring that your work is seen and celebrated. Together, we can build a vibrant future for glass art in Stourbridge and beyond.
Visit us
Located at Stuart Works, High Street, Wordsley, Stourbridge, DY8 4FB, Stourbridge Glass Museum is a must-visit destination for anyone passionate about glass. For satnav, please use DY8 4AZ. You can reach us at +44 (0)1384 900447 or email info@stourbridgeglassmuseum.org.ukhttps://www.stourbridgeglassmuseum.org.uk
Stay connected
Follow us on social media @glassmuseumuk to stay updated on our latest exhibitions, events and news.
A final note
Stourbridge Glass Museum relies on the generosity of our members and donors to continue operating. Every contribution, no matter the size, makes a difference. We receive £0 from national or local government. Together, we can ensure that the art and history of glassmaking remain vibrant and accessible for years to come.
Join us today and become a part of glass history. Charity number: 1139252.
Germany’s Bild-Werk Frauenau, a hub for glass and art learning based in the Bavarian region, has launched an exciting programme of stained glass-focused summer academy courses, a masterclass, plus a one-day symposium.
Designed for glass artists of varying abilities, and artists in general, there will be three international stained glass courses in the summer, followed by an autumn masterclass and the one-day symposium, entitled ‘Risk and Resonance’. Students will be taken on a tour of discovery in traditional and new pathways in this artistic medium.
Then, from 27-31 October 2025, Mark Angus and Julia Kastler will present [course 35] ‘Risk and Resonance: Stained Glass Masterclass’. This class is for those with a working knowledge of glass painting and staining who want to aim higher and work with mouth-blown coloured glass (some flashed glass kindly supplied by Lamberts Glass Factory) in new, unexpected and unique ways. It is hoped that course participants will stay on for the Risk and Resonance symposium on 1 November 2025.
Risk and Resonance symposium
Artists and makers, manufacturers and institutions in education, studio glass, public art and architecture are invited to the symposium on 1 November 2025.
The event will review the experiences of a summer in stained glass; expert lectures and discussions will address the contemporary issues of maintaining heritage, public recognition and visibility, promotion of young talent, and border-crossing networking and exchange. More details will follow in due course.
Risk and Resonance aims to explore new futures for stained glass and glass painting in their many facets, making Frauenau a forum and hotspot for stained glass and glass painting. The project is a collaboration with the Lamberts Glass Factory in Waldsassen,
Bavaria, which pushed for the inclusion of hand glass making, and especially mouth-blown sheet glass, as intangible cultural heritage on the German national UNESCO list.
European art and glass schools may be able to send participants via funding from the Erasmus+ learning mobility programme. The UK is not a participant of the Erasmus+ scheme.
See the full range of Summer Academy classes offered at Bild-Werk Frauenau via this link.
This talented artist and educator, originally from South Korea, is captivated by microorganisms and highlights them through his painstaking coldworking processes
What led you to start working with glass?
I first encountered glass artworks by studio artists in American art magazines in the early 1990s, when studio glass was virtually unknown in South Korea. Before working with glass, I spent several years working with clay, primarily focusing on creating functional works. Wanting to take a break from utilitarian pieces, I began exploring different materials and sculptural forms. I was particularly drawn to glass because of its unique transparency and vibrant colours – qualities I hadn’t found in any other medium I had worked with before.
‘Green Tetrahedron Diatom’ glass sculpture made from hot-formed, cut, colour-laminated, carved glass. Photo by the artist.
What glass techniques have you used, and which do you prefer?
I began with glass casting, as it was a natural transition from my experience with mould making in ceramics. During graduate school, I experimented with various techniques, but, after I graduated, I started experimenting with new works that primarily employed coldworking. My ‘Segmentation’ series mainly utilizes coldworking, and I’ve found that this meticulous and precise process suits my personality.
‘Mitosis’ features cut, colour-laminated, carved glass. Photo by the artist.
Please tell us more about your creative approach. Do you draw your ideas out or dive straight in with the materials?
I begin by sketching my ideas and searching for microscopic images, before ordering the optic glass or coordinating with gaffers and the hot shop to create the forms. My process always starts with clear, solid glass blanks, whether they are optic glass blocks or hot-formed glass. Most of the time, I work from specific and detailed designs, but, like all creative processes, adjustments occasionally occur along the way.
‘Green Parallelepiped Segmentation’ features cut, colour-laminated, carved glass and is 15 inches wide. Photo by the artist.
What message(s) do you want to convey through your art?
I’m fascinated by cells, pollen, diatoms, bacteria, and other microorganisms; their forms, behaviours and ecology captivate me. Though they often appear alien or otherworldly, they have existed far longer than humans and play essential roles in maintaining ecological balance. Natural ecosystems thrive on intricate interconnections and symbiotic relationships among organisms, species, and colonies. Though invisible to the naked eye, I see these microorganisms as a microcosm of ourselves – living beings with diverse characteristics, roles, similarities, and differences. Through my art, I explore these hidden worlds and reflect on the interconnectedness of all life.
‘Grey Segmentation Construction’ is made from cut, colour-laminated, carved glass. Photo by the artist.
What is your favourite tool or piece of equipment and why?
I use a few power tools and machines, but I spend most of my time hand-lapping. I cut small pieces of glass to hold in my hand and apply silicon carbide slurry to the glass surface that I need to grind. This method allows me to hear the natural sound of grinding without the noise of heavy machinery. I can also feel the gradual transformation of the glass as it becomes smoother. It is a tactile experience that deepens my connection to the material and process.
‘White Green Diatom Segmentation’ comprises hot-formed, cut, colour-laminated, carved glass. Photo: Ben Lerman.
Do you have a favourite piece or collection you have made? Why is it your favourite?
My ‘White Drosophila Embryo Segmentation’, from 2013, is one of my favourites because it was one of the first works that I created with clear and white glasses. In my work, I’ve explored a range of colours, from monochromatic to vibrant compositions. However, white conveys a sense of purity and innocence, much like the potential of an embryo. In contrast, the use of multiple colours in my other works represents the diverse aspects and characteristics of life.
This ‘White Drosophila Embryo Segmentation’ sculpture conveys a sense of purity and innocence. Photo by the artist.
Where do you show and sell your work?
I have been exhibiting with Duane Reed Gallery in St. Louis, Missouri, USA, since 2008. Some of my work is also shown at Traver Gallery in Seattle, Washington, USA.
‘Green Cone Diatom’ glass sculpture measures 10 x 9 x 9 inches and is made from hot-formed, cut, colour-laminated, carved glass. Photo by the artist.
Where is your creative practice heading next?
I plan to continue developing my ‘Segmentation’ series. I’m also looking forward to moving my studio to a new space soon. In addition to the ‘Segmentation’ series, I’ve been working on other projects that I’m excited to keep exploring.
About the artist
Jiyong Lee working on glass art pieces in his campus studio.
Jiyong Lee is a studio artist and educator based in Carbondale, Illinois, USA. As a professor of art at Southern Illinois University (SIU), he has led the university’s glass programme since 2005. Born and raised in Seoul, South Korea, Lee earned his MFA from the Rochester Institute of Technology in New York, where he also taught prior to his tenure at SIU.
His extensive teaching career has taken him to some of the world’s most renowned art institutions, including The Studio at Corning Museum of Glass, Pilchuck Glass School, Penland School of Crafts, Domaine de Boisbuchet in France, Canberra Glassworks in Australia, and Fire Station Artists’ Studios in Dublin, Ireland, among many others.
From 2009 to 2015, he was a board member of the Glass Art Society. His accolades include being a finalist for the 2021 Loewe Foundation Craft Prize, winning the 2017 Bavarian State Prize at the International Trade Fair in Munich, and receiving the Emerging Artist Award from the Glass Art Society.
His art has been showcased in prestigious exhibitions worldwide, with recent highlights including Thoughts on Thickness in Milan, Italy, the Translucency exhibition at the Tallinn Applied Art Triennial in Estonia, the Loewe Foundation Craft Prize exhibition, and KOREA NOW at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Paris. His works are part of prominent public and private collections, including those of the Barry Art Museum, Corning Museum of Glass, Chanel in France, and Samsung Corporation in Korea.
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