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Artist interview with Chimene Taylor

Post author By Linda Banks, Editor
Post date February 6, 2025

Orkney-based Chimene Taylor weaves together her skills with textiles and pate de verre to create sculptures and wall art inspired by her island landscape. Linda Banks finds out more.

What led you to start working with glass?

I started my creative journey working with textiles 30 years ago. This led to an apprenticeship in tapestry weaving and becoming editor of the British Tapestry Group journal. Then, 10 years ago, my father died unexpectedly and suddenly, and I found I could no longer sit and weave; the stillness was too overwhelming. I had done a short workshop in copper foiling, and this led me to explore more about working with glass.

What glass techniques have you used, and which do you prefer?

I took several workshops and masterclasses in stained glass and painting with enamels, plus Glasgow-based Stephen Richard kindly allowed me to learn at his glass studio during my holidays from work. Initially I made and sold stained glass panels at local art fairs in Orkney.

Then I found the world of fused glass and continued to learn through workshops. When I discovered pate de verre, I was immediately captivated by it and took many masterclasses with numerous amazing teachers, to whom I am very grateful. I found non-traditional pate de verre methods worked well for my mixed media pieces. However, now I am investigating how to use traditional pate de verre methods, as I like the textured and more translucent results that can be achieved when using powdered glass frits. With my background in textiles, I am now loving being able to weave again and tend to make mixed media pieces where I combine textiles with glass.

‘Green Petals’ pate de verre bowl showing the textures and unevenness of which Chimene is so fond.

Please tell us more about your creative approach. Do you draw your ideas out or dive straight in with the materials?

When an idea comes to mind, I will reflect on it over weeks, or sometimes months, particularly if it involves incorporating woven pieces to it, as I must work out a mechanism for adding the weaving to the glass. This is followed by numerous sketches and occasional samples to get the right colours and effects.

Next, I usually make a wax or clay sculpture, which forms the basis of the pieces I am hoping to achieve. For non-traditional pate de verre pieces, I make a silicon mould, and with the traditional method, an investment mould.

I often attach a copper wrap to the glass, which I fire and can then weave on.

‘Islands’ combines pate de verre glass and weaving.

What message(s) do you want to convey through your art?

There are two aspects to my work. First, I am inspired by nature and my surrounding landscape, especially the sea and its wildness and beauty. I also find inspiration in Japanese art. My work is full of texture and irregular in outline and I believe in embellishing any irregularities with gilding to bring out their beauty. This reflects my philosophy in following the concept of Wabi-sabi, which means accepting beauty that is imperfect, impermanent and incomplete in nature.

In addition, I am a doctor, and this influences my conceptual work. I have a number of works at the sketchbook stage on topics about which I feel very strongly. I would like to develop these further, in collaboration with other artists and/or as a solo exhibition. A piece linked with this was the glass mask I made to convey the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. I felt it was a representation of those difficult years as it became part of our new way of life. It protected us, but also hid us behind it and, for some, helped with the fear. For health professionals, it became part of our uniform; it affected communication with our patients and others, but also helped us to hide our emotions through those difficult times.

This pate de verre facemask holds much meaning for Chimene.

What is your favourite tool or piece of equipment and why?

I love my ‘dentistry’ metal sculpting tool set. I could not do without it.

This textured glass sculpture is called ‘Flow’.

Do you have a favourite piece or collection you have made? Why is it your favourite?

I love the mask, as it took a lot of work to make, but was also an emotional catharsis for me as I reflected on my experiences during COVID-19. I also love my collection of the sea and islands. I feel it reflects the beauty and colour of the landscape around me.

‘Winter Sea’ vessel.

Where do you show and sell your work?

I mostly sell my work in local galleries in Orkney and at my studio. I have had pieces in galleries in Aberdeenshire and Fife, as well as a stall at the Aberdeen Art Fair.

This triptych wall art is called ‘Ebb and Flow’.

Where is your creative practice heading next?

Chimene’s current project will feature glass pieces added to the white areas of this tapestry.

Last year was a very busy year, with several individual exhibitions and the art fair. I found myself having to produce a lot of work, but not having enough time to reflect. I plan to slow down in 2025 and develop my conceptual work, as previously described.

I also would like to make more mixed media pieces, using weaving and Japanese techniques, such as Katazome and Yuzen, to produce more wall panels.

Finally, I need to set up a webpage, which is long overdue!

Chimene Taylor

See more of Chimene Taylor’s work and contact her via her CGS member page: https://cgs.org.uk/artists/chimene-taylor/

Main feature image: ‘Blue Anemone’ mixed media work featuring pate de verre glass and textiles. All photos by the artist.

Pyramid Gallery celebrates 30 years with Artglass exhibition

Post author By Linda Banks, Editor
Post date February 4, 2025

Marking an impressive 30 years of selling studio glass, Pyramid Gallery in York will showcase the work of 25 invited glass artists who have helped him along the way in a new exhibition called ‘Artglass’.

The exhibition, which will include glass sculpture, pictures and vessels, opens at midday on 22 March 2025 and continues until 11 May 2025. It can also be viewed online.

Gallery owner Terry Brett commented, “Choosing just 25 makers for this show has been very difficult. I have had to consider the mix of different types of work for the show, as well as the importance of the artist to Pyramid Gallery. Some of the names listed here are among the most influential glass artists in the UK – maybe the world. It feels very special, and a great honour.”

‘Bee’ engraved glass artwork by Nancy Sutcliffe.

Artists represented in the Artglass exhibition are: Sarah Brown (who will provide the [glass] cakes); Margaret, Amelia and Charlie Burke; Effie Burns; Keith Cummings; Fiaz Elson; Hannah Gibson; Crispian Heath; Catherine Hough; Monette Larsen; Peter Layton; Emma Mackintosh; Bruce Marks; Graeme Muir; Tracy Nichols; Tim Rawlinson; Colin Reid; Bruno Romanelli; Layne Rowe; David Reekie; Morag Reekie; Cathryn Shilling; Nancy Sutcliffe; Alison Vincent; Elliot Walker and Elizabeth Welch.

‘Synchronous II’ glass artwork by Cathryn Shilling. Photo: Agata Pec.

Looking back on his 30 years as a gallerist, Terry said, “I knew nothing about the studio glass movement, or the making of glass, when I took over Pyramid Gallery in June 1994, but glass quickly took advantage of my passion for beautiful objects. The gallery was already stocked with blown glass by five makers, one of whom was Peter Layton, who had played a major part in the introduction of studio glass to the UK in the 1970s. On the very first day that the gallery re-opened, I sold a tall vase to a customer from Germany. It was a floral piece by Peter Layton and I can recall feeling a slight regret that someone was taking it away, but also excitement that he had paid a price that seemed exorbitant to me. I was hooked. I went to see Peter at the then-named London Glassblowing Workshop soon afterwards to purchase some more work. The gallery has continually stocked his work ever since, as well as work by his many associates and assistants.”

Terry bought the Gallery on 1 June 1994, initially running it with his then wife, Elaine Brett. At that time glass was quite well represented in the gallery, but it became more of a focus as time went on. When Elaine left the arrangement in 2008, Terry was free to indulge his passion for the medium.

“With encouragement and support from the Contemporary Glass Society, the gallery has become a point of excellence in this field,” Terry enthused. “Some 290 British glassmakers have shown their work at Pyramid in those 30 years and through the gallery’s close liaisons with the Contemporary Glass Society, a further 12 makers from France, Israel, Argentina, Japan, China and Finland have taken part in five themed CGS exhibitions here.”

Terry notes that one of the highlights of this show will be three cast optical glass sculptures by Stroud-based Colin Reid, who has supplied his work to Pyramid for more than 30 years: “I used to sell a lot of Colin’s scent bottles between 1994 and 1999, at which point he announced that he would cease making those items so that he could concentrate on cast, cut and polished sculptures. At the time I was concerned about the loss of a popular item, but rather than say goodbye, I requested a large pyramid form. It was expensive, but it was stunning. Within two weeks, the item had sold and, in that instant, Pyramid Gallery evolved into destination for collectors of art glass. Over the following 26 years, I have handled pieces of glass that can be counted among the best in the world. And this show will reflect that.”

ARTGLASS – an exhibition in celebration of 30 years selling Glass

Pyramid Gallery, 43 Stonegate, York YO1 8AW

Tel: 01904 641187

Instagram : pyramidgalleryyork

Main image: Pyramid Gallery owner Terry Brett holding a Bruce Marks ‘Bird’ artwork.

New Glassworks: Sunderland venture secures £5m grant

Post author By Linda Banks, Editor
Post date January 27, 2025

Sunderland Culture has been awarded a £5m grant by the Department for Culture, Media, and Sport (DCMS) to develop Glassworks: Sunderland, described as an ambitious, new world-class facility for glassmaking.

It will be built in the Sunniside area of Sunderland city centre, where the city council is leading regeneration plans to boost the creative economy.

The news brings hope to the UK’s creative glass sector, which has been fighting to save the existing iconic National Glass Centre building in Sunderland, that is slated for closure by 2026 because of the huge projected costs of repairing and maintaining it.

Sunderland Culture will collaborate with partners including the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A), Sunderland City Council and the University of Sunderland on the development of the project.

The £5m grant from the DCMS Cultural Development Fund, which is administered by Arts Council England, will go a significant way towards the £7.5m cost of Glassworks: Sunderland. Lewis Atkinson MP for Sunderland Central, who collaborated on the bid, said, “Our glass is now two thirds full – Working together as a city, I’m confident we can secure the remaining £2.5m to deliver Glassworks: Sunderland and further boost Sunderland’s bright creative future.” Sunderland Culture will be leading fundraising plans to secure match funding to realise the project.

Nick Malyan, chief executive of Sunderland Culture, explained: “Glassworks: Sunderland will build on the city’s position as a leading international centre of excellence for glassmaking, while unlocking economic growth for the city, contributing to the regeneration of Sunniside, and securing important heritage skills for the future.

“We are immensely grateful to DCMS for awarding this grant, which is a significant step towards our ambition of safeguarding the future of glassmaking in Sunderland.

“Glassworks: Sunderland will be a nationally-significant centre of excellence for glassmaking, connecting Sunderland’s 1,350 years of glassmaking heritage and the city’s creative future.

“If we can achieve our ambition, Sunderland will remain one of the few places in the UK with specialist glassmaking facilities to create, make and produce in glass.

“We are extremely grateful to our partners’ commitment to developing the proposal and supporting the ambition for Glassworks: Sunderland.”

He noted that it is vital that the glassmaking community has opportunities to make, display and sell work produced in the city and added that the initiative will attract national and international expert glass artists to work alongside Sunderland’s well-established community of world-class glassmakers, to safeguard skills and innovate creative practice.

“Our new facility will enable creative careers to be developed and sustained via access to specialist glassmaking facilities, studio spaces, and opportunities for Sunderland-based makers to promote and sell their work. It will create opportunities for the city’s highly skilled glassmaking community, whilst also allowing people to watch, take part and enjoy glassmaking.”

Councillor Beth Jones, Cabinet Member for Communities, Culture and Tourism, at Sunderland City Council, commented, “We will be working closely with colleagues at Sunderland Culture and supporting glass making businesses in the city and wider region to come together as partners to continue to develop these proposals, grow their practices, and create a self-sustaining business model with glass making and glass artists at its heart.”

Sir David Bell, Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive of the University of Sunderland, said: “Glassworks: Sunderland represents a brand new opportunity to create an exciting model for the future of glassmaking in Sunderland. It will link the city’s heritage with its creative future, driving growth and productivity, and supporting cultural regeneration.”

Contemporary Glass Society chair, Sarah Brown, commented, “We are so delighted to hear the positive news, and look forward to hearing more about the plans for the project in the coming months.”

Jo Howell, one of the organisers of the long-running campaign to save the National Glass Centre, expressed concern that the new facilities would not match up to the old ones. She said that, while it was “great” to get the £5m award, “It’s like a sticking plaster over an open wound.”

Sunderland was one of 11 projects shortlisted nationally from 130 expressions of interest submitted to DCMS’s £16.2m Cultural Development Fund, and one of only four projects to be awarded funding.

Sunderland Culture is the umbrella organisation overseeing the cultural programmes of Sunderland City Council, University of Sunderland and Sunderland Music, Arts and Culture Trust. It delivers the National Glass Centre programme.

Image: Sunderland Culture CEO Nick Malyan (left) and Rachel Smith, Director, National Glass Centre.

Glass artist interview with Hassina Khan

Post author By Linda Banks, Editor
Post date January 23, 2025

Creativity runs in Hassina’s blood, but it was when she discovered glass that she knew she had found her medium. Linda Banks finds out more.

What led you to start working with glass?

I’ve always been a maker: I’d spend hours as a child making furniture and accessories for my dolls’ house; I made my own clothes and knitwear as a student, and then I was a professional stage manager and propmaker. However, I never really found a material that spoke to me.

Then, in 2018, I did a weekend course in stained glass (copper foil) and suddenly I’d found my material. Previously, I’d never been happy with either the processes or my results, but something about glass just felt right. I found cutting it both relatively easy and so satisfying and, while I wasn’t entirely happy with what I created in that session, I could see how it could be improved.

I continued with stained glass as a hobby for a couple of years, making things up as I went along and solving problems as I encountered them. Then I decided I wanted to learn properly. I’ve always worked in the arts sector and the notions of professionalism and doing things well in order to create high quality work are really important to me.

I was accepted onto the MA at the University of Sunderland – completely bonkers since I live in East Suffolk – but the idea of being based in the National Glass Centre appealed to me, and I have childhood connections to Sunderland through my Pakistani heritage.

What other glass techniques have you used, and which do you prefer?

Now I mostly work with kiln-formed glass, specifically fusing and slumping, but my work is still rooted in my stained glass practice. I love designing, playing with colour, and cutting glass. I always hated soldering, so now I use the kiln to join it all together. I also use my kiln to manipulate the glass and create organic, 3D objects rather than the flatter, arguably less fluid, forms of stained glass.

‘New Places of Understanding’ (2024) measures 32cm diameter. It is made from hand-cut Bullseye glass. Photo: Eric Orme.

Please tell us more about your creative approach. What message(s) do you want to convey through your art?

The starting point for my work is usually words. I started in theatre and I’ve always been a big reader, so stories and words are how I understand the world. I write short fragments of text about themes and issues that are important to me. I then transliterate these into a fusion of English and Urdu, which reflects my mixed English and Pakistani background. Transliteration is the writing of one language using the characters of another. In my case, instead of writing English words using Roman characters, I write them using Nastaliq characters (a Perso Arabic script). I then further manipulate the text by playing with the scale, rotation and order of the characters to create an abstract composition that speaks to the viewer on a conceptual level rather than words that can be read.

The final work is hand cut in Bullseye glass (two layers), letter by letter, or curve by curve if it’s a complex letterform, and then fused together.

Construction of ‘Enough, All-ways’ – cutting the first layer of glass.

The next step is to cut the second layer of glass.

The final stage before the glass goes into the kiln – glueing the two layers together.

My MA work focussed on the notion of ‘othering’. It was a seven-panel glass poem that listed all the questions people ask that make me feel like I don’t belong, starting with ‘Do not ask me where I’m from’. It was intended to encourage viewers to think about the times they might have othered someone else, or been othered themselves, and I was delighted when it was acquired by Sunderland Museum & Winter Gardens so it could have a wider audience [see last photo, below].

‘Hybridity. Also Both’ (2022) comprises two balancing vessels and explores the notions of in-between-ness. Photo: David Williams.

I also made a series of works about identity, exploring my experiences of straddling different cultures and the challenges of navigating in-between-ness. They invite viewers to reflect on their own challenges and encourage them to take ownership of their experiences and contributions. In a world where we often feel powerless, these objects aim to remind us that we are both valid and valuable.

My most recent body of work was funded by Firstsite gallery in Colchester, Essex, and explores the word ‘enough’. The works are intended to counter the prevailing narrative that tells us we are ‘not … enough’. We all have our own version of this, and I wanted to create vessels that, in the words of Edmund de Waal, could be ‘vessels to touch and hold, to pass on’, and which would encourage the receiver to let go of their version of not enough and know that they are enough.

What is your favourite tool or piece of equipment and why?

My Toyo glass cutter. Simple, basic. Does what it says on the tin!

Do you have a favourite piece or collection you have made? Why is it your favourite?

I’m really pleased with the latest iteration of the ‘enough’ collection – ‘Enough, All-ways’ [see main feature image]. I wanted to find a way to use the word ‘enough’ several times and after a lot of trial and error involving cutting the word out of paper, scaling it up and down on a photocopier and then stickytaping it together, I finally came up with a design I was happy with. Then it took me about eight hours to cut the glass, but the final piece was far better than I thought it would be.

My other favourite piece is a work called ‘Past and Future’, which explores what we lose when someone close to us dies. It’s a flameworked piece that I made during a residency at the National Glass Centre funded through the Glass Society Prize in 2023. It’s very personal and therefore very precious.

‘Past and Future’ (2023) is made from flameworked borosilicate glass. It was created during a residency at the National Glass Centre and funded by the Glass Society Prize 2023. Photo credit: Eric Orme.

Where do you show and sell your work?

I’ve had a few pieces in exhibitions, including my piece ‘A New Way of Being’, which was selected for the British Glass Biennale in 2024. I’m a member of Suffolk Craft Society and Design Nation, so I‘ve shown through them. I was at the Great Northern Contemporary Craft Fair in October 2024 and Blackthorpe Barn at Christmas with my more commercial work, but I haven’t had the confidence to approach any shops or galleries with my work yet. I only graduated in December 2022 and I still feel like I’m at the beginning of my glass journey. However, I’ve told myself that I need to get out there this year!

‘A New Way of Being’ (2024) measures 50cm (H) x 90cm (W). It is made from hand-cut Bullseye glass and explores Hassina’s experiences of losing a close friend and finding a new way of being without her. Photo: Eric Orme.

Where is your creative practice heading next?

There are two pieces of work I want to make this year. I’m really interested in kindness and I want to gather stories of acts of kindness (small or large) and make an installation sharing them. I also want to make a series of objects that focus on the different aspects of identity – the idea that we are all more than just one thing and that these differences balance each other and make a whole.

There I go, telling stories again…

Hassina Khan at Sunderland Museum & Winter Garden with ‘Hybridity. Do Not Ask’ (2022), her final piece for her MA, which explores the notion of othering. Photo: Colin Davison.

Find out more about Hassina Khan and her work via her website: www.hassinakhanglass.com or follow her on Instagram: www.instagram.com/hassinakhanglass

Main feature image: ‘Enough, All-ways’ (2024) is part of a series of vessels aimed at countering the prevailing narrative that tells us we are not enough. It is made from hand-cut Bullseye glass and measures 36cm diameter. Photo: Eric Orme.

Book tickets for Collect 2025

Post author By Linda Banks, Editor
Post date January 13, 2025

Collect – the craft arena’s leading annual international exhibition – takes place from 28 February to 2 March 2025 at Somerset House in London. Presented by the Crafts Council, this year marks the 21st edition of the fair.

A total of 40 prestigious British and overseas galleries and organisations will be showcasing an array of top quality craftsmanship, with pieces made by 400 living artists.

In addition, Collect Open, featuring pioneering craft installations by individual artists and collectives, returns this year, with works spread throughout the exhibition spaces. Glass artist Rebecca Tanda from Austria, who works with flameworking and pate de verre, will be displaying her glass work in the Open.

For the first time, the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust (QEST) and the Society of Designer Craftsmen (SDC) will join forces to present ‘Fresh Focus’, celebrating the fusion of traditional craftsmanship with modern artistic expression. Presenting as part of this special edition showcase will be SDC member Fabrizia Bazzo (architectural stained glass) and Laura Quinn (QEST scholar) who uses glassblowing and lampworking to create her sculptures.

Galleries representing glass artists’ work that are taking part in this year’s exhibition include: Contemporary Applied Arts (CAA); Design Nation; First of March; Flow Gallery; Gallery Sklo (South Korea); Joanna Bird Contemporary Collections; London Glassblowing; PIK’D (Lebanon), and Vessel Gallery.

The range of disciplines and materials at Collect includes glass, ceramics, lacquer, furniture, art jewellery, metalwork, textile and fibre, wood and paper, and pieces embracing more unusual materials, such as resin, beeswax, denim and plastics, plus reused and repurposed materials.

“At a time when contemporary craft has never been more sought after, Collect continues to be the authority, and only fair, dedicated to presenting established and new galleries showcasing the freshest and most exciting contemporary craft in today’s market. Alongside some of the biggest names, there are newer artists to discover,

revealing the breadth of craft skills today. The fair continues to be a vital market incubator connecting galleries, dealers and artists with high net worth collectors, interior designers and more, and we very much look forward to welcoming visitors to this next edition,” commented Isobel Dennis, Collect Fair Director.

Please check in advance with the individual gallery which artists will be showcased at Collect 2025 if you are hoping to see particular work.

Somerset House is located on the banks of the Thames at the Strand, London WC2R 1LA.

Collect 2025 opening times:
Thursday 27 February: 11:00 – 21:00
Friday 28 February: 11:00 – 19:00
Saturday 1 March: 11:00 – 18:00
Sunday 2 March: 11:00 – 18:00

Bookable entry slots are in place to manage visitor flow.

Ticket prices:
General Admission: £29.00
Early Bird (limited availability): £23.00
Concession (with valid ID): £18.00
Private view day: £70.00
Private view evening: £45.00

A complimentary copy of the fair catalogue will be available at the fair whilst stocks last.

Tickets for Collect 2025 can be booked via this link from 15 January 2025.

Image: Glass vessel by Laura Quinn, who will be showing in ‘Fresh Focus’, curated by QEST and SDC.

Glass artist interview with Sibylle Peretti

Post author By Linda Banks, Editor
Post date January 8, 2025

Sibylle Peretti brings a sense of magic and myth to her mixed media pieces that combine a variety of glass and draughtsmanship skills. Linda Banks finds out more.

You are a skilled artist with a background in sculpture. What led you to start working with glass?

I started working with glass long before I studied sculpture and painting at the Art Academy in Cologne, Germany. I was 19 when I began a three-year course at the School for Glass Making in Zwiesel. I became interested in the material because of my deep connection to my father, who worked as a designer for a large glass manufacturing company. He inspired me to see glass as one of the most fascinating materials.

‘Backwater’ is comprised of kiln-formed glass, engraved, painted, silvered, paper, print. It measures 38″ x 40″.

What glass techniques have you used, and which do you prefer?

At the glass school in Zwiesel I learned traditional glass painting, engraving, lampworking and basic glassblowing skills. I still love to combine engraving with painting. In addition, I make sculptures in kiln-cast glass and create deep glass wall reliefs using the kiln-forming process. But I don’t limit myself to traditional glass techniques. Rather, I explore the unconventional use of the material by combining it with paper, pencil drawing and photography. I see glass as a perfect transparent or translucent canvas – a material that is made for holding many layers of information: light, marks, colours and imagery.

Sibylle’s moulds for slumping glass.

You often use mixed media to create your magical pieces. Please tell use more about your creative approach. Do you draw your ideas out or dive straight in with the materials?

My recent wall panels start with photographs of landscapes, flora, fauna and objects that I take from my immediate surroundings. Often these are places that are fragile and threatened by climate change or urban expansion. Combining drawing, painting and collaging the photographs is part of my process. Once the final layout of the images is decided, the translation onto glass can begin. In the process, I often modify parts of the layout to suit the possibilities of the glass. For me, working with glass is a permanent interplay with ideas and the possibilities of the material to make the idea stronger.

Sibylle’s work in progress. She combines photography, print and mixed media to create her unique pieces.

Finished piece ‘Floating Kite’ comprises kiln-formed glass, engraved, silvered, painted, paper, print.

You feature children and nature in your work. What message(s)do you want to convey through your art?

I am interested in capturing narratives about the beautiful and poetic, yet disrupted, relationship between humans and the natural world. My hope is that we can reimagine our fractured connection to nature and our environment. I am always searching for the possibility of resilience, renewal, redirection and unity. The children in my work represent both vulnerability and strength. They seem to come alive through a new and intimate, perhaps mystical, reconnection to nature. I also imagine them as prophets who see things we do not.

‘Thaw’ is made from kiln-cast and hot-moulded glass. Photo: Will Crocker.

You have taught glass and mixed media, as well as undertaking many artists’ residencies. What have these experiences contributed to your life and work?

Teaching and artist residencies are two different things. When I am teaching, I am really impressed by the passion and curiosity of many of the students to really push themselves and to learn different ways of working with glass in a short period of time. I try to help them find a personal, authentic sensitivity to the material. It’s not about how many techniques you can learn, but about you and your passion to become one with the idea and the material. It’s a beautiful feeling to see that happen.

An artist residency is a recognition of your own work. It gives you dedicated time and financial support to work on new ideas. It’s a carefree time that is invaluable to artists. During my residencies I often start complex projects that I would not be able to support on my own.

What is your favourite tool or piece of equipment and why is it your favourite?

My camera is my favourite tool. Even though I call many tools my favourite, the camera captures images that are essential to start my projects. However, my wax tools for carving moulds and modelling details in wax are very close to my heart too. I get crazy if I displace the one I love the most. I also love my kiln very much.

‘Before it Turns to Gold’ wall panel made from kiln-formed glass, engraved, painted, silvered, paper, print. Dimensions: 68″x84″x1″.

Do you have a favourite piece you have made? Why is it your favourite?

That’s a hard question to answer because there’s not one particular piece. When I work, I create a body of different pieces and they all relate to each other and form a whole. But if I had to name one work right now, it’s probably ‘Snow Child’. The process of building this sculpture was magical and I felt like I was creating life, just like in the Russian fairy tale The Snow Maiden, which was the inspiration for this sculpture. The process of forming a human body out of wax and transforming it into white glass was a special and unforgettable moment.

‘Snow Child III’ is made from kiln-cast glass and measures 45″h x40″w x 20″d. Photo: Cameron Wood.

Another current favourite is my most recent mural, ‘After the Flood Before the Storm’. The Mississippi River with the skyline of New Orleans was the setting for this panel. It’s an imaginary landscape where a horse and plants use human remnants and relics to create and reinvent a stronger, fertile habitat after a disaster. [See main feature image]

Where do you show and sell your work?

I show and sell my work in galleries, alternative spaces and museums.

Where is your creative practice heading next?

I have started working on a new project with the title ‘Where the Rubies Grow’. I plan to develop it over the next five years. Through this work I want to investigate the diverse beauty of gold ruby glass. I also want to connect the significance of ruby gemstones to the magical process of making gold ruby glass. The ruby’s bloodlike colour encourages strong associations with this life-sustaining fluid. In the past, those who risked their lives were believed to have a special connection to the gem. The ancient Burmese prized the ruby as the stone of soldiers. They believed it bestowed invincibility. However, wearing it close to the heart wasn’t enough; only those who had rubies physically inserted into their flesh would gain its benefit.

Blown and cast glass piece ‘Where the Rubies Grow’ (23″ x 10″)

The ruby’s glow seems to hint that it contains an inner fire. It was said that a ruby placed in water could bring it to the boil or, if hidden in wrapping, that it could shine through and reveal its presence. It is said that the first wife of King Henry VIII, Catherine of Aragon, foretold her death from the darkening of her ruby.

These tales and many superstitions are the foundation of my curiosity to explore the importance and magic of gold ruby glass. The project will include an installation of kiln-cast glass, as well as kiln-formed wall panels combined with found objects and video.

About the artist

Sibylle Peretti working on a cast glass piece.

Sibylle Peretti lives and works in Cologne, Germany and New Orleans, USA. She received her MFA in Sculpture and Painting from the Academy of Fine Arts in Cologne and a Master in Glass Making and Design from the State School of Glass in Zwiesel, Germany.

She is the recipient of numerous awards, including grants from the Pollock-Krasner Foundation and the Joan Mitchell Foundation.

In 2012 Sibylle Peretti was awarded the United States Artists Friends Fellowship.

Find out more about Sibylle Peretti via her website: https://sibylleperetti.com/home.html

Main feature image: ‘After the Flood before the Storm’ is made from kiln-formed glass, engraved, silvered, painted, paper, print. It measures 52″h x 84″w x 1″d.

Apply for QEST training grants of up to £18k

Post author By Linda Banks, Editor
Post date January 6, 2025

In its role of sustaining vital skills in traditional and contemporary crafts, twice a year the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust (QEST) offers three grants to support makers and conservators at various stages of their careers. Grants are available for education and training, with Scholarships of up to £18,000, Emerging Maker grants of up to £10,000, and up to £12,000 towards an apprentice’s salary.

Many glass artists have benefited from these funds over the years. For example, in the Autumn 2024 round of awards, stained glass artist Natasha Redina received an Emerging Maker award towards a Master’s in Glass and Ceramics at the Royal College of Art. Her QEST funding will enable her continued development and refinement of technical and artistic skills. Fann Chau also received support as an apprentice in glassblowing, working at Michael Ruh Glass Studio in London.

The Spring round of grants is now open, with applications closing at 5pm on Monday 10 February 2025. The awards will be made in May 2025.

Since its founding in 1990, QEST has awarded £7 million to almost 900 individuals working across a broad range of disciplines, including in glassblowing, thatching, guitar making, sign writing, ceramics and many more.

If you are interested in applying, visit the QEST website to read the guidance documents about each category. You can also sign up for a Zoom information session and apply here: https://www.qest.org.uk/qestgrants/

Graham Knowles awarded MBE

Post author By Linda Banks, Editor
Post date January 3, 2025

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Chairman of the British Glass Foundation Graham Knowles has been recognised in the King’s 2025 New Year’s Honours List with an MBE for services to heritage.

The honour recognises his long-term philanthropism and community involvement and, particularly, his Chairmanship of the British Glass Foundation, which was established in 2009 to create a new museum to house the prestigious glass collection held at Broadfield House Glass Museum when it was set for closure. His tenacity and leadership kept the dream of a new museum alive and resulted in the opening of the new Stourbridge Glass Museum in 2022. The state-of-the-art building houses 10,000 pieces and holds regular exhibitions of contemporary glass too.

Commenting on the MBE, Graham said, “I’m honoured to be considered and it certainly wasn’t expected. We have a great team of trustees and volunteers who have made it all happen and I’m just part of that, really.”

Lynn Boleyn, secretary to the trustees of the British Glass Foundation, stated, “Graham has given many hours of voluntary leadership, as well as being unstinting with practical and financial help, all in addition to his own considerable business activities.

“His energy and enthusiasm have motivated and encouraged the rest of the team and the wider community. His open and inclusive style has minimised misunderstandings and his humour has often stopped the wheels coming off at crucial moments. He has dealt with around seven different leaders and cabinet members at Dudley Council and has shown great leadership and professionalism. Without Graham’s dedication, drive and commitment to finding a new home for the world famous glass collections, they would probably have remained in storage never to have seen the light of day again. He has ensured that the 400-year glass making history of Stourbridge is preserved for many generations to come.

“On behalf of the trustees, ambassadors, volunteers and all associated with Stourbridge Glass Museum, we offer Graham Knowles MBE our heartiest congratulations, together with our assurance that it is a privilege to serve under his continuing stewardship.”

Aside from his work for the British Glass Foundation, Graham is CEO of the Hulbert Group and is well-known for his business connections throughout the Black Country and beyond.

Creating something from nothing

Post author By Linda Banks, Editor
Post date December 23, 2024

Glass artist Jessie Lee explains how she chose glass as her preferred medium in her quest to represent ‘nothing’ through her art. She specialises in casting and pate de verre techniques.

How do we represent ‘nothing’? About 15 years ago, I became obsessed with the idea. It started with a book, ‘The Nothing That Is’, by Robert Kaplan. It is about the history of the notion ‘nothing’; the symbol for ‘zero’. It is number – a symbol – we all take for granted, yet it is the most important symbol ever invented. This was the start of my journey with glass.

My creative career began with ceramics. Later, I embraced colour as a print maker. I came up with an idea of making unique, monotype prints, partly using a method known as ‘viscosity printing’. Many successful years later, I had a compelling need to work in three dimensions again. This also coincided with my ‘search for nothing’.

I felt that glass would be a good medium to explore the idea of nothing because of its transparency. The only inconvenience was that I had never used the material before! However, having trained as a ceramic artist, I thought that transferring skills wouldn’t be that difficult.

This core cast glass artwork ‘First Element’ was one of the first casts Jessie made. It measures 25x25x21cm. Photo: Amber McDonald.

Equipped with a few books, I started with lost wax casting. The Bullseye website was very helpful. My idea was to create a form within a form. The internal form was the empty space!

As I had no experience, the mould-making was a real challenge – but I like problem solving. Before I knew it, I was totally seduced by the material. I was hooked and addicted!

I did a couple of short courses at Richmond College and ended up with a Master’s degree, majoring in glass, at UCA Farnham in Surrey.

After college, I was approached to work with Grymsdyke Farm (an innovative workshop for architecture and design students). I have an aptitude for hand modelling, but there I was introduced to computerised, 3D modelling and that opened a door to a different way of thinking and working.

‘Reflection’ features cast glass beneath a porcelain boat. It measures 43x47x10cm. Photo: Simon Bruntnell.

I love geometry and am drawn to things that are impermanent and in perpetual flux. With 3D modelling I can transform the photograph of a reflection, the image of a hurricane, or a bubble into something solid and tangible! I can create complex shapes and forms that would have taken a long time to realise. I can take from nature and reinterpret using the software.

In my piece ‘Rotating Pentagons’, I took flowers as my inspiration. I opted for a pentagonal form, as lots of flowers have five petals. Flowers and plants often unfold in a rotation, so I applied a rotation, or twist, common in the software, to achieve my shape.

An unfolding flower was the inspiration for ‘Rotating Pentagons’.

Detail of ‘Rotating Pentagons’ cast glass sculpture. See main feature image for the full design. Photo: Simon Bruntnell.

The many aspects of glass suit the way I think and the way I work. It’s a material I enjoy using to express emotion and to tell stories. Glass can be solid and unyielding, fragile and vulnerable.

My methodology is governed by my vision. The technique I use is determined by what is most suitable to the subject. Many hours are spent testing and manipulating the design and the material to achieve my ideas.

My finished work is often a long way from my starting point. For example, ‘Enneper’ started life as a bubble. I watched a child playing with bubbles and the subject sparked my imagination. What are bubbles? They are not just a fun plaything. They have very useful functions. By delving deep into the subject, I ended up exploring the geometry of minimal surfaces and ‘Enneper’ is in that family.

‘Enneper Surface’ is made from cast glass and measures 37x37x37cm. Photo: Simon Bruntnell.

My latest project is inspired by a glacier in Antarctica called ‘The Thwaites Glacier’. This glacier is the size of Britain and a keystone on the west side of Antarctica. With the sea warming, it is melting from beneath the ocean. By itself, it can cause sea levels to rise, threatening floods to coastal cities.

I am not an environmentalist, but this subject caught my imagination, and I needed to explore it through my work. I wanted to express fragility and precariousness. The crystal structure of ice is hexagonal. In ‘Tipping Point’, my pate de verre hexagonal cells, precariously suspended in mid-air, appear to be disintegrating. I am working to develop this project further.

‘Tipping Point’ is made from pate de verre and reflects the melting of a glacier from beneath the ocean (47x43x17cm). Photo: Simon Bruntnell.

‘Melt 1’ is made from pate de verre and fused glass (42x42x10cm). Photo: Simon Bruntnell.

Each piece of work I make is a journey in my head. It starts with a fleeting thought; something that caught my eye; a story I read that I have a need to share. I don’t question my own motives. The only thing I know is that I have an emotional need to make art.

As for ‘nothing’, I am still seeking the right narrative!

Jessie Lee.

Find out more about Jessie Lee and her work via her website.

Main feature image: ‘Rotating Pentagons’ is made from cast glass. Each module measures 11x11x14cm. Photo: Simon Bruntnell.

Outgoing CGS Chair Sue receives her gift

Post author By Linda Banks, Editor
Post date December 22, 2024

As many of you know, the Contemporary Glass Society’s (CGS) charismatic Chair, Susan Purser Hope, has stepped down from the role after seven years of sterling service.

Of course, the committee could not let Sue depart without rewarding her with a special gift. Unfortunately, the proper sendoff that was planned at the CGS Discovery Day at the V&A museum in London was not possible, because Sue had an injury and could not attend.

However, CGS Administrator Pam Reekie was able to dial Sue in to hear her words of praise and thanks, on behalf of the committee and wider membership.

Sue’s gifts of flowers and a specially commissioned piece of glass art by Frans Wesselman were sent to her and Sue says: “I just wanted to thank you for my lovely present. I am absolutely delighted with it – a really big THANK YOU!!!!! I have always wanted a piece of work by Frans Wesselman and one of my passions is the circus so what a perfect combination!

“I also wanted to thank the committee and Board for all your help and advice over the years. I have loved my time as both a Trustee and Chair of CGS and am sad to be leaving. However, I know that with Sarah and an enlarged and diverse Board, CGS is in safe, committed and passionate hands, so I am really looking forward to sitting back and seeing how CGS develops into the future! You have all made, and continue to make, such an amazing contribution to CGS and I have really enjoyed working with you – it’s been such fun!”

Sarah Brown now takes over as Chair to steer CGS into 2025 and beyond.

Image: Susan Purser Hope with her stained glass panel, made by Frans Wesselman.