Four winners, five highly commended and 10 commended graduates have been selected by an esteemed judging panel for awards in the 2023 Glass Sellers’ and Contemporary Glass Society’s (CGS) Graduate Glass Prize. They and their work will also be featured in the glossy New Graduate Review publication, which will be circulated with the next print edition of the CGS Glass Network magazine and the prestigious Neues Glas/New Glass: Art & Architecture magazine.
First prize went to Beth Colledge, who studied for a BA at De Montfort University, Leicester. Her entry, ‘Equilibrium’ (main image), came top out of 47 applications from 15 colleges and universities across the UK and Ireland.
Second prize was awarded to Roos Peeters, who studied a BA at the University for the Creative Arts in Farnham, Surrey, for the work ‘Pebble II’.
‘Pebble II’ by Roos Peeters was awarded second prize.
The two runners up were Georgina Fuller, who graduated with an MA from the Royal College of Art, London, and Zeynep Korun, who achieved a BA at Arts University Plymouth.
Georgina Fuller’s work was awarded one of two runners up prizes.Zeynep Korun was also rewarded with a runners up prize.
Prize bundles included cash, vouchers, CGS memberships, glass books, subscriptions to Neues Glasmagazine and features in New Graduate Review magazine.
Other noted entries were:
Highly Commended Jacqui Fowler – University of Wales Trinity St. David, Swansea (MA) Nuala Torp – Manchester School of Art (BA) Meng Sun – Royal College of Art, London (MA Jewellery) Sophie Southgate – Royal College of Art, London (MA) Leonora Lockhart – Royal College of Art, London (MA)
Commended Lucy Richards – Arts University Plymouth (BA) Susan Pitt – University of Wolverhampton (MA) Lynn O’ Donovan – Crawford College of Art and Design part of MTU University, Cork, Ireland (BA) Alix Costin – De Montfort University, Leicester (BA) Hannah Masi – University of Sunderland (BA) Donna Brown – Arts University Plymouth (BA) Keisha Brittle – De Montfort University, Leicester (BA) Thomas Radburn – Manchester Metropolitan (BA) Zihao Xiong – Royal College of Art, London (MA) Ali Jarvis – University for the Creative Arts, Farnham (MA)
CGS and the judges recognised that many of this year’s graduates had to navigate through COVID-19 restrictions and all the barriers that followed, so they were especially impressed with the number of submissions and standards of work. The glass prize and inclusion in New Graduate Review provide valuable publicity for the winners and aim to help them embark on their glass journeys.
The judges had a long and arduous task in selecting the winners and all those to be included in the New Graduate Review 2023. The selection panel comprised Tracy Nicholls (artist), Professor Michael Barnes (glass collector/CGS Trustee), Sarah L Brown (glass artist/CGS Trustee) and Leigh Baildham from the Worshipful Company of Glass Sellers of London Charity Fund.
In order to support emerging graduates at the beginning of long careers in glass making, CGS offers the annual Graduate Prize and produces the accompanying New Graduate Review magazine, featuring the work of some of the best of the UK’s glass art graduates emerging from British and Irish universities and colleges. To do this, CGS is grateful to receive funding and support from sponsors the Worshipful Company of Glass Sellers of London Charity Fund, Professor Michael Barnes MC FRCP, Creative Glass, Pearsons Glass, Warm Glass, Neues Glas and Alan J Poole.
Judge Leigh Baildham commented, “There was an excellent standard of work submitted once again this year. It seems the judges have a harder task each time we meet to agree on the submissions that merit particular note. So good to see, as the work was being reviewed, that all of the universities and colleges that offer glass education were represented. Congratulations to the students who submitted pieces, and particularly to those who received prizes and special recognition.”
Main image: ‘Equilibrium’ by first prize winner Beth Colledge, who graduated with a BA from De Montfort University, Leicester.
Architectural glass artist Sasha Ward has worked on over 100 commissions for buildings across the UK, but her repertoire includes art on a smaller scale. Linda Banks finds out more.
What led you to start working with glass?
I started saying I wanted to do stained glass when I was at school and was being encouraged to choose a career. I thought it represented a good combination of my interests – pattern, colour, architecture, craft – and I thought it was an original choice as stained glass was not in fashion at the time (this was the mid-1970s). I had a set of postcards of the windows of Chartres Cathedral; it was these images that I remember as the deciding factor. When I went to art school I chose to do my foundation course at The Central School of Art because it had a stained glass department that I could use.
Staircase fin at the University of Winchester (2000). It measures 52 sq.m.
What glass techniques have you used and which do you prefer?
The aspect of stained glass that I have always been most interested in is glass painting. As I continued my studies in art school, I desperately wanted to paint with transparent colours on glass and to get rid of the lead lines. This led to me working with transparent enamels and to try and find different ways of joining glass pieces together. When I started making work for buildings – which were mostly modern ones – this problem disappeared as the glazing bars around large windows of float glass did the job for me. However, the joining problem comes back when I’m making something that is not for a building. I’ve started using lead again and am loving it for its versatility and longevity.
What is your creative approach? Do you draw your ideas out or dive straight in with the materials?
I think my strength is in my sense of design as much as my use of materials. I do pages of drawing to work out a design, and lots of glass samples to check colours and textures against each other. Then I work to a detailed plan for the making stage, I don’t deviate from the plan at all although this doesn’t stop the unexpected happening to enamels in the kiln.
Entrance screen (detail), The State Hospital, Carstairs (2011), measuring 6 x 3.2m.
You have undertaken many architectural commissions. How do you approach these large-scale designs?
I use pattern and repetition in large-scale designs, echoing the shapes and proportions in the architecture. I always make models while I work out my approach to a design that is site specific, if I’m working with a manufacturer, this is the only hands-on work I get to do during the process. With experience, I can work on a small scale and visualise the work as it will be in the building; when you’re working to commission, no one wants any surprises.
Corner window, Premier Inn, Hanover Street, Liverpool, (2012), measuring 80sq.m.
Sometimes you work with materials like acrylic, adhesive vinyl and window film. Why is this?
I have used other materials for commissions either because of the low budget, the short lifespan of the project or reasons connected to health and safety in the built environment. Although these considerations sound like constraints rather than exciting opportunities, I have embraced the way that working to commission in unexpected places has led me to doing things I wouldn’t have chosen to do, learning new skills along the way. As I consider design to be the most important aspect, I’m happy to see my work translated into a variety of different materials.
Vinyl wallpaper in corridor, vinyl door panels, Paediatric Mortuary, Manchester Children’s Hospital (2019). Dimensions: 2.6 x 6.8m.
You have collaborated with Ray Ward to create stained glass pieces based on his drawings. How did this come about?
I have shared a studio with Ray Ward since we met as art students over 40 years ago. It goes without saying that I really like his work. Ray’s drawings remind me of the characters and details in medieval stained glass that drew me to the medium in the first place. Over the years people have suggested that we should collaborate. Then the COVID-19 lockdown and an exhibition at Norwich Cathedral provided us with the perfect opportunity. However, we don’t really collaborate; a drawing of Ray’s is chosen, then I photocopy it, choose a colour scheme and paint directly from the copy.
‘These People are Intellectuals, They Live in Houses Full of Books and Have Nothing Worth Stealing’ is a collaborative panel with Ray Ward (2020). Dimensions: 700 x 540mm.
What is your favourite tool or piece of equipment and why?
All I need, apart from hand tools, are my massive kiln and my sandblaster. I couldn’t do anything without a sandblaster. Roughing up the surface of the glass, or removing fired enamel, is as important to my process as putting it on.
Do you have a favourite piece you have made? Why is it your favourite?
One of my favourite pieces is a window I made in 1998 for Frimley Park Hospital, which is about to be demolished as the hospital is being redeveloped. It is a very successful translation of my original black and white drawing. It looks a bit like a quilt and is my version of the cliched subject matter stipulated in the brief, which was sunrise (the window faces east). This window marked a turning point in my thinking, as I realised how I could make quite large windows myself during the manufacturing process. As a result I ordered my big kiln so I could carry out these projects.
The window at Frimley Park Hospital, Surrey (1998). 2.4 x 1.8 m.
What advice would you give to someone starting out on a career in glass?
I think that it is important for anyone starting out in glass to stick to their own path, rather than worry about what everyone else is doing. There are no rules when you choose a career in art, so the advantage should be that you can do things in your own way. This doesn’t mean taking the easy path. I think you need to focus on getting your work made in the best way, rather than on enjoying yourself during the process.
Studio view with work in progress on the lightbox, walls and windows (2020).
Where is your glass practice heading next?
I’m at the stage where I’m thinking about what I want to leave behind. I have realised that a lot of the technologies used in my commissioned work, for example double glazed units, have a limited life span in buildings that may not themselves last. Rather than looking for commission opportunities, I am concentrating on making pieces of work that I actually want to make, drawing on my stack of accumulated materials and my archive of unrealised design ideas.
About the artist
Sasha Ward installing exhibition in The Hostry, Norwich Cathedral. 2020 Photo: Kate Gadsby.
Sasha Ward is an architectural glass artist who has designed, and sometimes made, over 100 commissions for buildings throughout the UK. She has a degree in fine art from Trent Polytechnic, Nottingham, and a Masters degree in glass from The Royal College of Art, London.
A tour of the Carnival Glass Society’s exhibition at Stourbridge Glass Museum and a talk at the historic Himley Hall in Dudley, West Midlands, will be highlights at the Society’s upcoming annual weekend this Autumn.
Taking place from Friday 29 September to Sunday 1 October 2023, the event is for Carnival Glass Society members only, for whom attendance is free. Anyone interested in joining the Society can do so online and then they can sign up for the weekend.
The programme begins on the Friday evening with a drinks reception and tour at Stourbridge Glass Museum, where there are over 300 items of carnival glass on display, including rarities never exhibited before. Participants will hear the fascinating story of carnival glass, which spans more than 150 years from its early inspirations through to the current day. They will also be able to browse the Museum’s other exhibits.
On the Saturday (9.30am to 4.30pm) the event moves to Himley Hall, where there will be carnival glass for sale at prices to suit all budgets, as well as an afternoon filmed presentation by author and historian, James Measell, on the Stourbridge glassmaking pioneers Thomas Dugan and Harry Northwood.
There will be a raffle to win a rare, 3-inch high carnival glass ‘Rex’ vase made by Eda Glasbruk in Sweden in the 1920s and a ‘straw draw’ where every even number wins a piece of carnival glass.
An optional buffet is available on the Friday evening (£10 a head) and an optional meal will be available at Himley Hall (£25 for two courses or £30 for three courses).
On Sunday 1 October members can enjoy a canal boat trip from the historic Bonded Warehouse along the Stourbridge canal (£9 per person).
Email autyt@aol.com or call Trudy on 0759 526 1735 for further details and information on how to register.
For anyone interested in joining the Carnival Glass Society, there is a special membership offer of £14 for electronic membership (up to two names per membership) which runs to 31 October 2024 and includes eight 40-page newsletters. Find out more and join via this link.
Emma Butler-Cole Aiken’s monumental stained glass sculpture is aptly named ‘Phoenix’, as it is a reworking and resurrection of one she created during the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020.
The new work evolved from the piece named ‘Sails’, which was a simple, triangular structure she was able to make herself from components ordered online. Sails was shown at the Chelsea Flower Show in May 2022 on the Glass Garden stand organised by fellow Contemporary Glass Society member, Gabrielle Argent.
However, Emma was disappointed by how it looked at that event. Despite its three-metre height, the vibrant colours looked dull as the stand was located in a shadowy area.
Later, she had the notion that the whole thing would work much better upside down – and preferably curvy!
A maquette made of paper and wire produced a surprising, bird-like form. It was a Phoenix rising from the ashes of disappointment.
Emma applied for, and received, a Creative Scotland Individual Award, which enabled her to employ expert assistance. James Maybury understood the vision and created an elegant, curved structure into which the original, stained glass sections were fitted.
James met the challenge of creating something sufficiently strong to hold the weight of the glass, but which could also be broken down into smaller components for economical shipping.
Interestingly, when Emma originally made Sails, she arranged it on the glass easel to see both sides of it in relation to the other as she was working. This meant that, when set up, one half of the sculpture would have the glass paint on the inside and the other on the outside. Usually, stained glass is painted on the inside surface to protect paint from the weather. Despite this, when making Sails, it was more important for her to work this way to see what she was doing.
Detail of ‘Phoenix’ showing the beauty of the stained glass.
Now, as Phoenix, all the paint is on an inside surface – as if it was always meant to be that way.
Phoenix is currently on show in Belgium at The Enchanted Garden sculpture exhibition, until 15 October 2023.
Image: The new ‘Phoenix’ sculpture by Emma Butler-Cole Aiken.
Following a call from the organisers of the International Festival of Glass (IFoG) and the British Glass Biennale for someone new to run these two-yearly events from 2026, the Glass Art Society (GAS) has been chosen to take on the role.
In May 2023, Ruskin Mill Land Trust, which has managed the IFoG for the past 20 years, announced that 2024 would be the last year it would oversee the event, which sits at the heart of the UK’s contemporary glass calendar.
IFoG Director Janine Christley said, “The GAS conferences have always been an inspiration to the Festival team. We are constantly impressed by the air of colleagueship and excitement, as well as the skill and professionalism in hosting such complex events. I am personally excited by the way GAS is expanding outside of the US to become a global network for the glass community and am thrilled that the Festival will benefit from these connections. The alternative Festival structure will also give GAS an opportunity to explore interacting with the general public and how to develop new audiences. There are going to be exciting times ahead.”
GAS will work with the Ruskin Mill Land Trust team on the 2024 festival, before officially taking the reins for 2026.
While the GAS conference focuses on bringing glass artists together and creating educational and networking opportunities to help further their careers and practices, the Festival is designed to showcase the artists, techniques and history of the dynamic glass community to the public.
Over the past few years, GAS has moved to make itself more global, through initiatives such as adding more board members outside North America, hosting conferences in Europe, and partnering with other glass organisations to highlight the work already being done to promote the glass community globally.
GAS Executive Director Brandi P Clark stated, “We plan to honour the history of the Festival while adding a GAS spin to it, and you can expect to see many new partnerships and opportunities emerge as we get closer to 2026!”
The GAS team and Ruskin Mill Land Trust are already working together on the 2024 Festival, which takes place from 23-26 August 2024.
The Contemporary Glass Society has always had a close affiliation with the IFoG and British Glass Biennale and looks forward to continuing this relationship in 2024 and beyond.
If you are a maker looking for free studio space and business mentoring in London, make a note to apply for the next round of Cockpit Awards this Autumn.
Opening for applications on 1 September 2023, Cockpit awards provide free or subsidised studio space at one of their London studios, plus one-to-one business coaching and a place on Cockpit’s business training programme. Successful applicants also join a thriving creative community of world-leading craftspeople.
Cockpit makers are selected for excellence in skill, originality of ideas, drive to grow their business or practice and ambition to contribute to the Cockpit community.
There is a variety of awards available, some of which are specific to a particular material or discipline, while others are open to all makers.
This time, there are eight awards open for entry. These include: the Arts Society GLA Award, for craftspeople using traditional skills – including those at risk of dying out; the new Bagri Craft Award, for a maker of Asian heritage working in any craft discipline; the Make It award, open to London-based makers aged under 26, which provides a two-year programme of support; the Newby Trust Award, for makers working in any craft discipline who are at a turning point in their skill development, plus the Grant-Turnstone Award, a new award offering a one-year programme funded by two Cockpit makers.
Those successful in the Autumn round will start in January 2024.
Applications open on 1 September 2023, with closing dates of 2 October and 6 November, depending on the award.
If you have any questions, or are unsure whether this is for you, get in touch with Cockpit via the contact form on their website. You are also invited to attend the Cockpit Awards Open Evening on 7 September 2023 (5.30pm-7pm) at Cockpit Bloomsbury, Cockpit Yard, Northington Street, London WC1N 2NP. This is an informal session where you can ask questions and learn more about the Cockpit Awards. Register to attend free here.
Image: Glass maker Lulu Harrison is a past recipient of the Cockpit Glass Sellers’ Bursary, who makes glass from waste materials found in and around the River Thames. Photo: Cockpit.
An 18-month, £1.5 million restoration of the West Midlands’ historic Red House Glass Cone has started. The cone is one of only four left in the UK and is a grade II* listed, scheduled ancient monument.
Dudley Council’s investment will cover the cost of the restoration and ongoing maintenance. It has worked with an accredited historic architect and Historic England to secure the appropriate permission to begin the works. The cone must be restored using authentic techniques and materials.
Work will include internal and external repointing of the entire structure from top to bottom with lime mortar. Vegetation sprouting from the cone will be carefully removed on a phased basis. Bricks surrounding each growth will be taken out, the vegetation and root growth removed, then the bricks will be replaced and re-mortared.
There will also be new drainage around the building and there will be access to the tunnels.
Inside the cone, the internal gantry and lift will be removed to create a more open, accessible space. A new lift will be installed by the visitor centre to allow wheelchair access to the upper level, where a viewing platform will allow people to see into the cone and hot glass studio.
The hot glass studio will be shielded during the works, allowing it to be safely reopened to the public while the work takes place. The studio will be updated with a more eco-friendly kiln. It will also be accessible from inside the cone once all works are complete.
Paul Bradley, deputy leader of Dudley Council, commented, “We know that people feel very passionately about the cone as it’s such an iconic part of the skyline and is a striking backdrop to people’s everyday lives as they walk to school, take the dog for a walk or just stroll along the canal. We’re so pleased to be delivering this ambitious project and restoring the cone to its former glory.”
While fencing and scaffolding will be going up over the coming weeks and months, the shop, visitor centre, coffee house and craft studios all remain open.
The Red House Glass Cone is 100 feet high and 60 feet wide at its base. It was built between 1788 and 1794 and operated for more than 150 years in the historic Stourbridge Glass Quarter. It is located near the Stourbridge Glass Museum, so there are plenty of glass-orientated attractions to see if you are visiting the area.
The Red House Glass Cone is at High Street, Wordsley, Stourbridge DY8 4AZ, UK.
Image: Adele Lavender (left), deputy site manager at the cone with Councillor Paul Bradley. Photo courtesy of Dudley Council.
Take part in the next Contemporary Glass Society (CGS) online exhibition – this time featuring architectural glass.
We live in glass buildings – both commercial and residential. We are surrounded by glass as a building material. Typically, it is used as transparent glazing within the building envelope, but we know what else it can be used for!
Windows, wall panels, ceilings, bar fascias, feature sculptures – all can transform their surroundings with colour, light, pattern, texture and design! A building is given personality, gravitas, exuberance or comfort by the inspired use of decorative glass.
So in the next CGS online exhibition, CGS members have the opportunity to flaunt your glorious architectural glass projects. What have you got to show us?
This is a CGS members-only exhibition. If you are not yet a member, why not sign up today so you can take part?
For existing members, the deadline is 25 August 2023 and the show will go live on 4 September 2023. Simply log in to your account and go to the Submit to Exhibitions tab on the left, find High and Mighty in the dropdown menu and upload your image and details.
Vicky Higginson likes to conduct extensive research before embarking on her contemporary glass work. Inspired by everything from the Japanese tea ceremony to old laboratory equipment, she reimagines forms in glass to express feelings in potent ways. Linda Banks finds out more.
What led you to start working with glass?
I started working with glass during my undergraduate degree in Manchester. I studied 3D Design and glass was among the materials we covered, although it wasn’t one I had given much thought to beforehand. I always thought I’d be a silversmith. However, in the second year, we tried glassblowing and I was immediately hooked on the process and its possibilities. I certainly wasn’t great at it at the start, but I felt an understanding of the material and I loved working in the hot shop. I went on to specialise in glass in the third year and then did a Masters in Sunderland a few years later.
‘Bamboo Flasks’ by Vicky Higginson. Photo: Marzena Ostromecka.
What glass techniques have you used and which do you prefer?
I’ve tried out a lot of different techniques, from blowing and hot sculpting to extensive coldworking and engraving methods. I’ve done some neon bending and would love to do more. I have also tried techniques like mirroring over the last couple of years. As well as learning specific techniques in my university education, I’ve attended courses to learn more about hot and cold assembly of glass. Traditional techniques include incalmo, Swedish overlays, cane and murrini, which I studied with artists including Rob Stern, Nancy Callan and Dick Marquis.
I love blowing glass and working in the hot shop, but I’m a particular fan of combining hot and cold techniques, whether that’s blowing component pieces and then cutting and joining them cold, or coldworking blown pieces with engraving or using diamond wheels on a lathe.
‘Artefact VII: Mind reader’ shows Vicky’s love of constructing a composition out of different glass parts. Photo by the artist.
What is your creative approach? Do you draw your ideas out or dive straight in with the materials?
My approach depends on what I’m working on and how much time I have to experiment. When I’ve been lucky enough to have access to facilities, for example as part of a residency, I love to experiment through making and see what happens. I have often come up with ideas for work just through trying out and refining different techniques in the hot shop.
I often back up my work with research, though, such as my investigation into the Japanese tea ceremony, which I reinterpreted for my final Masters project. Recently, I covered a broad range of influences from folklore, mythology and fairytales to historical medical equipment for my Jerwood Art Fund Makers Open commission. I then draw all the ideas together to create my work.
Because I work a lot with composite sculptures, I make a range of component parts and then play around with the composition. I may have an idea of the final form, but I rarely have a plan for the exact pieces that will be required. When I’m coldworking I use a mixture of freehand carving to see how a pattern or texture could turn out and sketch out different ideas in advance.
‘Artefact II: Spiral’. Photo by the artist.
What inspires your work?
I’ve had a lot of different inspirations over the years, but I often come back to Japanese and Scandinavian aesthetics for my design-based work. In my sculptural pieces I use a lot of bold colours and graphic shapes and patterns, inspired in part by the Memphis Movement and designers like Ettore Sottsass.
A lot of my work is concerned with ritual objects and the portrayal of personal narratives. I have researched a lot into culturally significant objects, used in rituals or given special meaning or symbolism. I’m really interested in how objects can tell a story, whether as their primary function, or as relics of past societies and people.
What message(s) do you want to convey through your art?
My latest bodies of sculptural work have been very personal. I started out making sculptures called the Artefacts that looked enticing but unsettling and threatening, which represented thoughts and emotions that are easy to believe but are ultimately harmful.
My recent ‘Coping Mechanisms’ works are in some ways a response to these, imagining objects that incorporate folkloric traditions with medical equipment to create healing devices to cure mental and emotional trauma. These include a reflex hammer to awaken emotional responses, an inhaler to numb grief, a pestle and mortar to break down overwhelming thoughts, mirrored devices to see things from different perspectives, plus a large installation inspired by ear trumpets and stethoscopes to communicate things left unsaid. The works respond to my own experiences of loss, depression and grief, but have connected strongly with the experiences of others. In this work I also wrote excerpts from a fairytale-like narrative, allowing a deeper understanding of the devices. I don’t want to be prescriptive in how people interpret the work and I have been delighted and touched that people have found personal connections with the themes and ideas I have explored.
‘Coping Mechanism to see things differently’. Photo: Shannon Tofts.
What is your favourite tool or piece of equipment and why? I bought a lathe a few years ago and it has become my favourite tool. Now I’ve got a range if wheels for it, there’s so much I can do. I use it to carve patterns and textures into the surface, to carve defined shapes in the glass or make deep cuts through colour. Since I have to hire glassblowing facilities, it’s also a way that I can be creative and get hands-on in my studio more regularly. It’s a great tool to transform any bit of glass into something special.
Do you have a favourite piece you have made? Why is it your favourite?
I don’t know if I have one favourite piece, but the one that’s the most personal and successfully achieved what I was aiming for is the piece ‘Coping Mechanism: to numb grief’. It is based on an old anaesthesia inhaler, which has vessels to contain a sponge soaked in ether, connected to a mouthpiece with a rubber tube. My piece reimagines this as a device to recover from grief. The vessel contains a single guinea fowl feather, which I picked up at my brother’s funeral, but it also responds to other losses I have experienced. I am happy with the balance of colour and form, which combines fairly simple shapes to create an arresting object that perfectly frames the feather inside. It means a great deal to me that this piece is now a part of Aberdeen Art Gallery’s permanent collection.
‘Coping Mechanism: to numb grief’ by Vicky Higginson. Photo: Shannon Tufts.
Where do you show and sell your work?
I sell my studio work at craft fairs and through galleries like the Craft Centre and Design Gallery in Leeds and the Biscuit Factory in Newcastle, as well as via some online stockists. I’ve exhibited quite a bit in the UK and overseas in Japan, the Czech Republic, Ireland and the US. Some great exhibitions I’ve been a part of include the British Glass Biennale, Collect and the Jerwood Art Fund Makers Open. I need to get my work into more galleries and I’d love to show more in London.
What advice would you give to someone starting out on a career in glass?
You need to have persistence and resilience to keep going with a career in glass. As with any career in art, it’s not easy and you’ll get a lot of rejections. Some people make it big early on but even in those cases there’s a lot of work involved in the background. Keep applying for things and getting your work out there and seen by people. Even if you don’t get accepted, you’d be surprised how many people will remember having seen your work. I’ve applied over and over for some things and it’s taken years to get some opportunities, like going to Pilchuck Glass School.
Remind yourself why you love working with glass and do work that makes you happy. You won’t please everyone, but, if you love what you do, that will show in your work.
Do you have a career highlight?
The whole experience of my Jerwood Art Fund Makers Open commission has been the highlight of my career. I was surprised to be selected as one of the recipients, having applied a few times previously. I had an uncertain start as COVID-19 meant I couldn’t hire any studios initially. However, that turned out to be a massive benefit to my project, because I really got stuck in to researching and developing the work and building up a whole narrative element around the pieces. The work was exhibited in London, Newlyn and Aberdeen, and I was able to try out new ideas with each installation. I was so well looked after by the Jerwood team. I held an in-conversation event with the curator of Medicine from the Science Museum in London and I was also invited to give a ‘Guest at Grays’ talk in Aberdeen with our fantastic curator. I received some lovely feedback from visitors and was touched when people felt such deep connections with the work; it was the best response I could have asked for and unexpected since it was deeply personal. To top it all, three of the pieces were acquired for Aberdeen Art Gallery’s permanent collection.
‘Coping Mechanism for things left unsaid’ was an installation made for the Jerwood Art Fund Makers Open commission. Photo: Anna Arca.
Where is your glass practice heading next?
I always have so many ideas, but, as with everything, it is reliant on funding and opportunities that come up. I plan to continue experimenting with neon bending and incorporating that into my sculptural work. I want to make more conceptual work and am hoping to develop some installations to show at the National Glass Centre next year. I’m also thinking about a PhD, as I really enjoy making work informed by research.
Mix and match decanters by Vicky Higginson. Photo by the artist.
And finally…
I am increasingly worried about the future of the UK glass scene. Energy prices have pushed many artists and studios to their limits and university courses have been under threat or have already closed in the last few years. Now it also seems there are threats to the British Glass Biennale, the National Glass Centre and North Lands Creative, which are all such valuable tentpole institutions in the UK. I really hope there is a way to ensure there is a future for glass in this country and that we stay a part of the global glass community.
About the artist
Vicky Higginson coldworking a glass artwork on the lathe.
Vicky Higginson is an Edinburgh-based artist working primarily with hand-blown and coldworked glass. She graduated with a MA in Glass from the University of Sunderland in 2011 and has exhibited work nationally and internationally.
Residencies at Edinburgh College of Art and North Lands Creative have been pivotal in the development and evolution of Vicky’s work, allowing her the freedom to experiment and change approach, developing a personal style and themes.
She was awarded the Student Award at the 2012 British Glass Biennale, the Creative Scotland Emerging Artist Bursary in 2015 and she received a scholarship to Corning Museum of Glass in the US in 2018.
In 2022 Vicky worked as a Teaching Assistant at Pilchuck Glass School in the US, and her work was selected for the prestigious New Glass Review.
Vicky will also be one of the five speakers at the next CGS Discovery Day, taking place on Friday 8 September 2023 in Edinburgh. Find out more and book your place via this link.
Main feature image: ‘Artefact V: Aim Low’ by Vicky Higginson. Photo by the artist.
Glass expert Max Jacquard is offering two classes in glass casting this Autumn, both of which are suitable for beginners. Max has been teaching students how to cast glass for over 20 years. He has taught in England, Europe, Australia and New Zealand.
The first class is a one-day Open Cast Texture and Colour course, taking place at his Kent studio on 16 September 2023.
Students will learn how to apply texture and colour to an open casting in glass. Open casting refers to the technique in which a mould is placed into the kiln without a feed, allowing the entire glass surface to be polished by the heat.
This open cast technique begins with mould making using materials such as plaster and silicone. This course will teach mould making methods and investigate the materials that can be applied to relief casting. Students will be able to explore how colours can be combined when casting glass with billets.
The following month, on 14 October 2023, there will be a one-day Core Casting Workshop. On this course students will try their hand at core casting glass in the form of a vessel. Core casting refers to the process used in making a hollow form (such as a bowl or vessel) that is created through casting rather than blowing.
This course will teach the basics of core casting, including a range of mould making skills. Wax will be extensively explored in both its liquid and malleable form. The process of lost wax casting will be taught, and students will measure and choose the glass for their vessel.
Both courses take place at Max Jacquard Glass, Greensand Barn, Church Farm, Ulcombe, Maidstone, Kent ME17 1DN.
More information on both courses and book via the website.
Image: Glass bowl created using the core casting process that you can learn in October 2023.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
