The Waterfront Gallery in Milford Haven, Wales, plays host to the fourth Wales Contemporary exhibition in 2023. It has launched a call for entries from artists working in 2D or 3D in any subject matter and in media including glass.
Artists based in the UK and internationally are invited to enter to compete for prizes totalling £12,000, including a top prize of £3,000.
Shortlisted works will be shown at the Waterfront Gallery from October to December 2023.
The prize fund totals £12,000, including the Open Prize, worth £3,000, as well as:
Two dimensional prizes:
1st Prize: £2,000
2nd Prize: £1,000
3rd Prize: £750
4th Prize: £500
Three dimensional prizes:
1st Prize: £2,000
2nd Prize: £1,000
3rd Prize: £500
Public’s choice prizes:
1st Prize: £1,000
2nd Prize: £250
The shortlist and award winners will be chosen by a selection panel comprising designer Mehdi Moazzen, artist Janette Kerr and Ashley Hall, professor of Design Innovation at the Royal College of Art in London and visiting professor at the Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing.
All artists aged 18 and over are invited to submit 2D or 3D artworks in any medium excluding photography, digital prints or film. The 2D works may be up to 70cm in any dimension. For 3-dimensional work the maximum size is 50cm in any dimension. There is no minimum size limit. The submission fee is £15 for one work, £25 for two and £30 for three.
The Wales Contemporary exhibition takes place at the Waterfront Gallery, The Old Sail Loft, Discovery Quay, The Docks, Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire SA73 3AF, Wales, from Saturday 21 October to Wednesday 20 December 2023, with a Private View on Friday 20 October 2023 at 2.30pm.
Veruska Vagen’s dot de verre technique fuses her love of painting, glass and art history, using tiny dots of coloured glass to create delicate artworks inspired by the painters of the past – and even a portrait of Dale Chihuly. Linda Banks finds out more.
What led you to start working with glass and which techniques do you prefer?
Painting was the medium of choice in college, for which I received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, with an emphasis on art history. Glass had always intrigued me, particularly stained glass, which I also felt drawn to. I had always wanted to find a way to incorporate those passions of painting, glass and art history, through some kind of homage to the three disciplines.
For years, sandblasted glass served as a working surface for enamelling and the process was incorporated on both flat and three-dimensional glass. But it wasn’t until discovering the material I use now (Wasser glass confetti) that everything really came together.
‘Le Baiser’ (The Kiss), 1868, after Carolus-Duran, is made using the dot de verre technique. It measures 17.75” x 11.75” x 1.5” (framed size).
What is your creative approach and what inspires your work?
‘The Gaze’, 1878, after Dicksee, measures 17.5” x 11.25” x 1.5” (framed size).
Just as plein air painters find inspiration in a specific landscape they wish to interpret, I tend to find intrigue within a particular artistic genre. One year it was focusing on the details of Pre-Raphaelite portraits that served to inspire; another year it was illustrations of women from the early 20th century. Once fully engaged I dive into learning everything possible about a specific period and aesthetic. I study the details of what was found to be compelling for that era and explore what makes it timeless today. Then I set out to illuminate such classics in a new format and way of seeing the images, through a mosaic of glass dots.
‘Bianca’, 1920s, after Armstrong.
What message(s) do you want to convey through your art?
As with much of art, most of the pieces have come from a place of resonance in one way or another. Often there is some visceral connection with an original concept or artist from another place and time that seems relevant today. For example, in studying depictions of dogs in art history, I came across a sweet image of a sleeping terrier from an artist named Hall; a 1918 painting entitled ‘Peace’. A reference for this painting described the artist’s response marking the end of World War I and relaying the understandable emotions symbolised through his dog’s tranquil repose. I found this image very moving. One can imagine such a desire for solace today or in any other period of turbulence in human history.
‘Peace’, 1918, after Hall, comprises kiln-fired glass dots on black rolled Spectrum glass.
An artist always hopes that others can find meaning in any work of art that is personal to them yet transcends the greater human experience. My hope is that in revisiting a compelling image and paying homage to the original, I can share with others a moment of transcendence by reintroducing a beloved rendition through an abstraction of glass dots which, as with life in general, comes more into focus with a bit of distance. Hopefully the work can be a metaphor for seeing art and the world in a whole new way. It is also important to me to be sensitive to the issue of appropriation and credit the source of the art whenever possible and the era in history in which it was created.
What is your favourite tool or piece of equipment and why?
Hands down it is a decades-old pair of tweezers I cannot live without. I’ve literally had nightmares about losing those tweezers and panic any time I misplace them in the studio. They are quite long and I’ve used them for so many years that the metal is worn down where the finger grips are. The tweezers have the perfect tension for picking up 3mm glass dots and no other tool I have ever tried has worked with such ease. I could not make the pieces I do without them. The tweezers are so old I can’t even remember where they came from but I can honestly say they are irreplaceable.
Veruska’s ‘irreplacable’ tweezers are perfect for handling the tiny glass pieces that make up her intricate glass artworks.
Do you have a favourite piece you have made? Why is it your favourite?
I think it was Picasso who once said his best painting was the next one and I rather like that thought. It’s hard to pick a favourite, though there are some pieces that brought great joy while making them. I remember smiling the entire time while working on a zebra mosaic inspired by a 19th century natural history illustration. Depicting stripes with dots was like creating visual jazz and I have fond memories of making that particular piece, among others. I suppose the most challenging pieces sometimes end up as favourites simply because of one’s heartfelt experience in creating them.
‘Mountain Zebra’, c.1850, after Hawkins, created in dot de verre technique.
Where do you show and sell your work?
I’m honoured to be a part of several museum exhibitions at present though have a number of galleries representing my work as well, listed on my website.
What advice would you give to someone starting out on a career in glass?
Focus on making great work first. Find a way to support yourself while developing your art and find your artistic voice. Once you have found that voice, something uniquely your own, you will be ready to launch your career.
Do you have a career highlight?
One highlight was the first mosaic piece I made using the newly discovered glass dots, 30 years ago before pixeled representations became commonplace in the computer age. It was an experiment, a portrait of glass master Dale Chihuly done in rows of dots and using a ruler (a method I still use today). The kiln firing went well with the dots tack-fusing nicely without melting together, so I decided to donate it to the annual Pilchuck Glass School Auction fundraiser. To my utter delight, Dale was there and bid on the piece, which started a bidding war. The piece went to six times over value before the gavel went down and Dale went home with his portrait. There could not have been a greater incentive for me to continue exploring this new technique. I owe much of my career to Dale’s vote of confidence, and to others who believed in the work, for which I feel forever blessed and grateful.
About the artist
Veruska Vagen at Pilchuck Glass School.
Originally a painter, Veruska Vagen spent years living in the Southwest US, where she maintained a studio and worked in oil, watercolour, glass and mixed media. The course of Vagen’s life changed when her glass enamel work brought her to the renowned Pilchuck Glass School in Stanwood, Washington. She moved to Stanwood in 1993 and served 12 years with the William Morris Studio, during which time she developed a unique mosaic technique called dot de verre.
Find out more about Veruska Vagen, her technique and her work via her website.
Main feature image: Veruska Vagen’s glass technique involves the careful placement of thousands of tiny glass dots to build up the design she is creating.
Now that the buildings of the Stourbridge Glass Museum are complete, attention has turned to the outside landscaping. The main feature of this is a new lighting structure at the front of the museum, which can change colour for different events.
Created and installed by Simworx Ltd of Kingswinford, the circular interpretation shows where the original cone used to be and reflects the heritage of the former White House cone and tunnels hidden beneath.
The British Glass Foundation, the charity that runs Stourbridge Glass Museum, secured £78,630 from FCC Communities Foundation towards the external landscaping at the museum, which includes the lighting structure, seating, cycle racks, artwork and interpretation panels.
The BGF commented, ‘The project has transformed the now fully refurbished former derelict Stuart Crystal site in Wordsley into a world-class glass museum and a new home for the renowned Stourbridge Glass collection. The museum was formally opened by HRH The Duke of Gloucester on 19 April 2023. Funding was secured from The National Lottery Heritage Fund for the internal fit-out of the museum.’
Find out more about Stourbridge Glass Museum here.
Image: The design of the new lighting structure is reminiscent of the White House cone that once sat on the site.
We are sad to report that Ed Burke – the ‘E’ in E&M Glass – passed away on 15 May 2023, surrounded by his family.
Ed was a Master Glassblower, with a great skill for stemware and tableware and a love of geometric style glass.
He worked in the glass industry for over 35 years and could put his hand to most challenges that came his way, working with his wife Margaret, along with his son Charlie and daughter-in-law Amelia.
Ed discovered glass at the age of 18 and embarked on a career in the medium. Studying at college he obtained a BA (Hons) degree in glass design and then worked and learned from many established glassmakers.
In 1988 he built his own furnace and studio and began producing his unique style of glassware on the Welsh/English border.
Norway’s S12 Gallery is celebrating the work of new graduates and emerging artists in its ‘Young & Loving!’ exhibition, which is on until 30 July 2023.
‘Young & Loving’ is described as a humorous translation of ‘young and promising’, pointing to the exhibition’s focus on new artists. An exploratory approach to glass as part of an artistic expression is a particular feature of this exhibition, which has been held annually since 2007, apart from a break of a few years recently.
Glass has an incredible ability to transform and renew itself. It can be shaped both cold and hot. It is neither liquid nor solid, but shares properties from both states. Glass can be transparent, reflect, transmit or absorb light. This broad range in the material is also reflected in this year’s exhibition, which represents a diversity of expressions, where themes such as emotions, form and cultural identity are examined from each individual’s unique perspective.
The artists participating are Charlotte Avigail Jutrem Cohen (NO/ISR), Marie Breyen Hauschildt (DK), Suh Moon Ju (KR), Joshua Kerley (GB), Maria Helena Nerhus (NO) and Kwun Lan Wong (HK).
Joshua Kerley makes objects that are inherently un-glasslike and aims to reassess the traditional perceptions of glass technically, aesthetically, and materially. His works transcend traditional boundaries, arouse curiosity, and challenge the viewer’s comprehension of the material world.
Marie Breyen Hauschildt has been working with the words ‘something that comes out of something’, investigating shapes and stories that mimic the transformations of something that moves from one place to another. The result is a series of abstract sculptures that almost resemble living creatures.
S12 Gallery is at Bontelabo 2, 5003 Bergen, Norway. Find out more via the website.
Image: (left) work by Joshua Kerley and (right) sculptures by Marie Breyen Hauschildt.
In response to the recent news that historic stained glass window making has been placed on the Heritage Crafts Association’s (HCA) Red List of Endangered Crafts, the chairman of the British Society of Master Glass Painters (BSMGP), Steve Clare, has launched an appeal to the public to help secure its future. He is inviting people to make a donation to the Master Glass Painters Trust so that the organisation can action its goals.
The BSMGP was the principal advisor to the HCA in identifying the risks challenging the industry. These include:
Aging practitioners and a loss of opportunity for them to pass on their skills
The decline in dedicated educational courses
The decreasing use of contemporary stained glass commissions in buildings
The scarcity and high cost of materials.
The goals of the BSMGP are:
To inspire and support a new generation to enter the stained glass profession
To foster a resurgence in stained glass commissions and opportunities
To nurture a strong stained glass community.
How will the money be used?
Work to increase diversity within the sector and encourage and assist young people through apprenticeships and work placements towards careers in stained glass
Establish a mentorship programme so that emerging artists have the support they need to achieve their potential
Develop an outreach campaign to encourage architects and interior designers to use stained glass in new and historic buildings
Support regular stained glass exhibitions, competitions and opportunities, including a new prize at the British Glass Biennale in 2024.
See the organisation’s detailed plans for the future here.
Ideally, the One Thousand Friends appeal is seeking one-off donations of £1,000 to the Master Glass Painters Trust, enabling people to become a Friend. However, donations of anything from £1 will be gratefully received. Supporters can also become a Member from £45 a year, which includes the Journal of Stained Glass, or become a Friend by making a one-off donation to the Master Glass Painters Trust of £50, £100, £250, £500, £1000 or more.
All Friends receive an emailed quarterly Newsletter with updates on the appeal and those who donate over £500 will be recognised in the Journal of Stained Glass and can receive a Patron of the Master Glass Painters Trust logo to include on their website.
Glass artist and designer Yaron Meyer has an exhibition at The Onion Garden in London this June.
Originally from Israel, he describes himself as a lampworker, blacksmith, welder and more. He studied at the Bezalel Academy of Art and Design, developing his skills in glassblowing to combine with his experience in metal work.
The show opens on 1 June and continues until 30 June 2023.
The Lord Mayor of Westminster launches the event on 1 June at 5pm, followed by a drinks reception and musical entertainment from 5.30pm-9pm.
The Onion Garden is at 5 Seaforth Place, London SW1E 6AB.
Find out more about his diverse body of work here.
Image: Glasswork by Yaron Meyer that will be displayed at the tranquil Onion Garden.
International art exhibition, ‘The Enchanted Garden’ celebrates its 10th show in beautiful grounds in Belgium this June.
Predominantly featuring outdoor sculptures in a variety of media, the event will exhibit the works of artists from the Czech Republic, Ecuador, Estonia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, UK and US.
Between opening on 9 June and closing on 15 October 2023, the displays will change four times. The Enchanted Garden is open on Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays from 1pm to 8pm.
New alongside this year’s exhibition will be ‘(E)motion – Poems communicate with Sculptures’, presenting poems inspired by the sculptures.
Five British and Irish-based Glass artists are exhibiting for the first time at the Enchanted Garden in 2023.
Helen Twigge-Molecey is an award-winning artist and designer who enjoys working in different media and especially glass. She is interested in how you can effect change through a positive experience. Underpinning her work is a desire to make it beautiful, simple accessible and fun.
Emma Butler-Cole Aiken has discovered that traditional stained glass window skills also are ideally suited to creating robust garden sculptural artwork. Every aspect of material and construction – from the protective lead to the fired-on painted details – lasts for over 100 years in a cathedral window, so why not in a garden?
Amber Hiscott works internationally as an innovative architectural stained glass artist from her studio in Wales. She specialises in large-scale commissioned work in glass in the public domain.
Julie Coakley designs and makes complex patterns that are inspired by her love of travel. She is exhibiting a range of daisy-inspired fused glass pieces.
Ireland’s Helen Hancock combines her experience in making glass and educating women in breastfeeding by creating a unique concept – the breastfeeding milk glass for mothers, as a reminder of feeding her baby. She is exhibiting ‘hanging plants’ sculptures.
Between 5 and 23 June 2023 Contemporary Glass Society (CGS) members can submit images of glassworks that fit the theme of ‘Small but Magnificent’ for the next CGS online exhibition.
As CGS chair Susan Purser Hope says, “It’s quality not quantity that counts, so artworks do not need to be large, dominant or take up space to be of value or to inspire. Smallness can be just as magnificent as a huge piece of sculpture.”
This online selling exhibition is looking for little pieces of gorgeousness which are no bigger than 15cms in any aspect. They can be jewellery, beads, bowls, small artworks – really anything that is little, beautiful and inspiring.
This show is open to CGS members and items will be for sale online via the artists themselves. If you’d like to submit your work for this exhibition but aren’t yet a member of CGS, why not join via this link?
Full details of how to enter will be available to members from 5 June 2023.
The show goes live on 3 July 2023 and will be online for just over a month.
Master Glassblower Tom Young MBE passed away on 22 May 2023.
Tom was not only a master glassblower; he also had an outstanding knowledge of glassblowing. He was generous with his time and talent, never hesitating to help many glassblowers as they embarked on their careers.
Tom had been making glass for 70 years – from the age of 14 to 84. It truly was his life’s passion.
Tom was born in Glasgow in the late 1930s. He left school with few qualifications, but his brother suggested he apply to R & J Wood, based in the city centre, who were looking for apprentice glassblowers. They made medical and laboratory glassware for hospitals, universities and government research laboratories. Tom began his apprenticeship under Joe McCulloch and, when Joe decided to start up on his own, Tom followed as his assistant.
Scottish glassblowers were mainly employed in the chemicals industry, as 1950s Britain was recovering from the Second World War. As an apprentice Tom made multiples and this repetitive work led to his decision to move to Loughborough University’s chemistry glassblowing department.
In 1967 Tom became one of the first members of staff at the newly built Stirling University, where he led the Glassblowing Department. He was often asked to make decorative pieces for friends, family and charity auctions. This brought out his creative side and he started making decorative animals and perfume bottles. A popular product was a glass pig with a half penny inside, called ‘A Lucks Penny’.
Tom was awarded Master Glassblower status in 1977 by The British Society of Scientific Glassblowers (BSSG).
In 1979 Tom left the university to start his own lampworking business, Village Glass. He found a disused bakery in Bridge of Allan, which was perfect for glassblowing. With assistance from Scottish Development, his studio became a tourist attraction. Alongside, he continued to make lab equipment and supplied many of the distilleries and local university and research centres with glassware.
Tom was a founder member of The Scottish Glass Society and The BSSG Scottish Section. He was keen to keep the craft of lampworking alive and trained many apprentices, some of whom have gone on to become renowned glassblowers themselves.
The glassblowing studio and workshop moved to high street premises in 1999. Among his achievements, Tom designed the millennium spirit bowl, used for spirit safes in distilleries worldwide, a glass slipper for the Royal Ballet, plus various projects for Johnnie Walker, including thousands of glass pens for a promotional campaign.
In 1998 Tom’s Daughter Karen joined the business. When he reached 65 years old, Tom decided to retire and the retail business was sold as a going concern. Tom converted his summerhouse in the garden into a small studio and continued to make what he wanted without the pressure of running the business.
In 2012 Tom was inspired by a film named ‘The Angels’ Share’. This is the term for the small amount of evaporation that occurs when whisky is maturing in the cask. He decided to represent this phenomenon by creating a handblown glass angel, filling it with whisky and sealing it forever. Karen came back and helped Tom launch Angels’ Share Glass to market the angels from premises in Bridge of Allan. He trained new glassblowers for the venture, which remains a recognised Scottish glass manufacturer today.
Tom was awarded an MBE in 2017 for his services to the glassblowing industry and his talent and legacy will live on in the people he has taught.
His archive is being digitalised and his designs and processes recorded, to inspire and train the glassblowers of the future.
Image: Tom Young creating the lampworked glass he loved.
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