Are you an amateur glass blower or glass artist who wants to make your hobby a full-time business? If so, independent production company, Flabbergast TV, could have a way to fast-track your new career.
Flabbergast TV is producing a new television series all about makers and crafters who want to turn their hobby into a full-time business. They are looking for amateur makers working in all craft disciplines, including glass blowers, furniture makers, jewellers, potters, woodworkers, sewers and artists.
The series will help people on their journey from hobby into a long-term career. It could appeal particularly to those who have just started their business venture and would benefit from some mentoring.
The series will follow a select group of amateur makers as they are mentored through the practicalities and pitfalls of turning a hobby into a business. The expert mentors and show host will guide them through what it takes to transform their hobby into a business, giving them the knowledge and opportunity to transform their lives.
If you are interested in applying for this exciting TV series, send an email to MIFM@flabbergast.tv to receive all the relevant information. You must be over 18. Please note that expressions of interest do not guarantee that you will be selected.
If you are thinking of Christmas presents for yourself or someone who enjoys looking at, and learning about, stained glass, these two new books on Irish stained glass may fit the bill.
One book is a handy, illustrated guide to Ireland’s most important stained glass, and the other takes an in-depth look at the details of stained glass panels by Harry Clarke.
The Gazetteer of Irish Stained Glass
The Gazetteer of Irish Stained Glass is a new, updated and extensively Illustrated guide, listing all of Ireland’s significant stained glass works, county by county. It also includes the most noteworthy pieces abroad by Irish artists.
Some 30 years since its first publication, David Caron returns with an updated, redesigned, and greatly expanded edition of this practical guide. It covers Irish stained glass from 1900 to the present day. Caron edited the original version with Nicola Gordon Bowe and Michael Wynne.
This guide is for anyone with an interest in stained glass, including those new to the art form. It is illustrated throughout with specially commissioned photography, supporting information about Ireland’s glass artists. These include the most famous stained glass artists, such as Harry Clarke and Wilhelmina Geddes, those who deserve to be better known, and the best contemporary artists working in the medium today.
With over 2,500 entries, two essays, and biographical notes on major artists, this is the key reference book for art lovers, curators, academics and all those who wish to learn more about Ireland’s celebrated stained glass, and where it can be found.
The Gazetteer of Irish Stained Glass is published in hardback, has 290 pages, and costs €35/£29.99 (ISBN: 9781788551298). It is available from bookshops or via Amazon.
Dark Beauty
Meanwhile, the book Dark Beauty – Hidden Detail in Harry Clarke’s Stained Glass, is a sumptuously illustrated follow-up to the award-winning book about master glass artist Harry Clarke: Strangest Genius.
Dark Beauty features previously unpublished images of Harry Clarke’s work, coinciding with the 130th anniversary of the artist’s birth.
It focuses on the minute details in Harry Clarke’s stained glass windows, particularly those in the borders and lower panels of his work. These areas are often overlooked, yet are full of surprise and artistry. Clarke’s brilliance as a graphic artist is clearly visible in his book illustrations, which are imbued with precise attention to intricate designs. He applied the same focus to every facet of his stained glass.
The book’s title, ‘Dark Beauty’, refers to the duality of Clarke’s work, which sees delicate angels juxtaposed with macabre, grotesque figures. It investigates the partially-hidden details that dwell in the backgrounds of his windows – motifs, accessories, flora, fauna and diminutive characters – which may be missed in proximity to the dominant central subjects.
Between 2008 and 2010, the authors of Dark Beauty, Lucy Costigan and Michael Cullen, photographed Clarke’s windows in Ireland, England, America and Australia. When they viewed the resulting 60,000 images, many of Clarke’s minute details and accessories came into sharp focus – from the swish and swagger of a huntsman’s plume, to the gold-rimmed glasses worn by a parishioner, to the swollen face of a thief stung by a saint’s drone of bees.
Dark Beauty features 500 of these images, which aim to shine new light on Clarke’s stained glass.
This hardback volume allows readers to view previously obscured or unnoticed details in all their unique splendour, and will inspire them to visit Clarke’s work for themselves.
Dark Beauty is available in hardback and paperback. It has 228 pages, and is illustrated in full colour. It costs €35.00/£29.99 for the hardback edition. Order it via the publisher, Irish Academic Press, here, or through bookshops or Amazon.
Main image: Self portrait of Harry Clarke (green figure upside down) in the lower panels of the third light of The Last Judgement (1930), at St Patrick’s church, Newport, Co. Mayo, Ireland. Photo: Michael Cullen.
The ‘Broken Angel’ art project at Coventry Cathedral invites artists to create new art in response to damage to one of John Hutton’s West Screen etched angels. Glass artist Anne Petters is the first designer to show her new work in the space. Here she explains her inspiration and the development of her installation artworks.
In December 2020 the independent curator Michael Tooby invited me to develop work for the new ‘Broken Angel’ project at Coventry Cathedral.
The Broken Angel project was set up in response to the violent destruction of the ‘Angel of the Eternal Gospel‘ window at the Cathedral, during a break-in in January 2020. This window was one of the remarkable engraved angels and saints in the Cathedral’s West Screen, which was designed by renowned glass artist John Hutton.
The Cathedral’s decision not to replace the panel, but to make room for new conversation and contemporary artists, follows its ethos of finding hope in the new. This resonates its fundamental belief in forgiveness. The people who destroyed the screen have never been found.
The previous Coventry Cathedral building was destroyed by German incendiary bombs during the Second World War in 1940. At this time, the decision was taken to build a new cathedral and preserve the remains of the old one as a reminder of the waste of war. Several up-and-coming artists were involved in designing different artworks for the new Cathedral, which was opened in 1962.
The West Screen’s original engravings were created over the period of a decade by John Hutton, who invented an entirely new glass-engraving technique in the process. Commissioned by the Cathedral’s architect, Sir Basil Spence, the panels were set in the 21.5m x 18.85m screen according to a design by structural engineer, Ove Arup. The work’s importance to Hutton is shown by the fact that, when he died in 1978, he requested that his ashes be buried at the foot of the window, beneath the ‘Angel of the Eternal Gospel’.
The West Screen features etched saints and angels. photo courtesy Coventry Cathedral.
The West Screen is one of the many masterpieces created for the new Cathedral, which include works by John Piper, Graham Sutherland, Jacob Esptein, Lawrence Lee, Geoffrey Clark and Hans Coper. The Cathedral will celebrate the 60th anniversary of its consecration in January 2022.
I remember standing in front of the cathedral’s West Screen for the first time in 2016, overwhelmed by Hutton’s unique and dynamic way of cutting into glass. Having worked with glass for 15 years at the time, my emotional reaction was quite intense. I could hear the sound of grinding into glass and sense the physical effort that would go into an artwork like this. For me, the massive West Screen is not only overwhelming in its beauty, but it also feels dangerous, almost threatening, and fragile at the same time – an attribute always inherent in the material glass. It is beautiful and fragile, and it can cut you deeply when it breaks.
When we met to discuss my work, Coventry Cathedral’s Dean, John Witcombe, mentioned the sound the panel had made when it smashed, resonating in the big, quiet space of the cathedral.
I am originally from Dresden, which is coincidental and not the reason why Michael Tooby asked me to work on this piece. However, this fact pulls me into the project even more emotionally, with a deep connection to the cathedral’s history and the relationship between Coventry and Dresden as twin cities that were devastated during World War II.
The new Coventry Cathedral, St Michael’s, symbolises a new beginning, hope and reconciliation. It embraces the new, but always with a reflection and cherishing of the old, just as the remains of the old cathedral reflect on John Hutton’s West Screen, where one sees oneself between the two.
The view through the West Screen from within the new cathedral. Beyond you can see the remains of the previous cathedral, which was bombed during the Second World War. The West Screen forms a link between the two. Coventry is twinned with Kiel in Germany and the candle holder in the foreground was a gift from that city. Photo courtesy of Coventry Cathedral.
I made two works for this exhibition, which opened on 6 November 2021: ‘Lichtung – Break‘ and ‘Lichtung – White Drift’.
Anne Petters created detailed wings from glass shards for the project. Photo: Anne Petters.
‘Lichtung – Break’ is a projection installation, which responds directly to the destruction of the glass and the cathedral’s idea of hope and reconciliation. It follows the concept of my previous works, like ‘Reflection on Reflection’, ‘Lunula’ and ‘(1ALL)’, where I used real-time projection.
In the projection piece ‘(1ALL)’ dust appears as shooting stars. Photo: Anne Petters.
Each projection features a beautiful, cosmic phenomenon that is based on something small and seemingly insignificant, but which resembles a memory or moment of beauty we can all relate to. In ‘(1All)’ this is dust appearing as shooting stars, in ‘Lunula’ it is a fingernail becoming the moon and, in ‘Reflection on Reflection’, a small piece of gilded glass turns into a golden sunset.
‘Reflection on Reflection’ projection installation. Photo: Anne Petters.
This body of work is a metaphor for unity and the importance of the overlooked in a universal context, plus appreciation for all existing things and beings. I aim to offer a new perspective on familiar things to create curiosity, awareness and appreciation.
The interactive aspect of these installations is also important to me. Merely by being in the space, visitors become part of the work through the sensitivity to changing light, flying dust, air draft, and movement in space.
Anne Petters setting up her installation at Coventry Cathedral.
I have always been touched by the simple beauty and meaningfulness of broken glass, and use it often in my work.
For the Coventry installation I have staged a broken piece of window glass by magnifying it and projecting it on to the screen where the Angel used to be. This piece is sensitive to light. The image appears and disappears over time, depending on the brightness in this open space.
A test sandblast of the wing for the projection. Photo: Anne Petters.
I am creating another layer of reflection on the screen and filling the void with new light.
The second work in the exhibition, ‘Lichtung – White Drift’, responds to the book that the Angel of the Eternal Gospel was holding. It follows the themes of previous works that speak about spiritual fleetingness and the desire to freeze moments in time.
‘Lichtung – Break’ and ‘Lichtung – White Drift’ are showing until 1 February 2022. Then my work will be replaced by work by the next commissioned artist in the ‘Broken Angel’ project.
It is a big honour and joy for me to work on such an important project and I would like to thank Dean John Witcombe for his engagement and passion, and curator Michael Tooby for inviting me, and for being such a backbone and inspiration. A big thank you, also, to the tireless team at Coventry Cathedral.
About the artist Anne Petters is a multimedia artist with a background in glass art and design. In 2009 she received a Diploma in Fine Arts/Glass at the Institute of Ceramic and Glass Art in Germany and in 2011 the Master of Fine Arts in Sculpture/Dimensional Studies at Alfred University, New York.
Her work is exhibited in glass museums and art institutions in Europe and the USA. She has developed a specific glass kiln forming technique and teaches internationally.
More information on the exhibition: ‘Broken Angel’ is a sequence of new, site-specific works temporarily replacing the ‘Angel of the Eternal Gospel’ window at Coventry Cathedral. Check out dates and times when you can view Anne Petters’ artworks, ‘Lichtung – Break’ and ‘Lichtung – White Drift’, on the Cathedral’s website.
Address: Coventry Cathedral, 1 Hill Top, Coventry CV1 5AB, UK.
Main feature image: ‘Lichtung – Break’ features a projection of delicate glass wings. Photo: Anne Petters.
Visitors to the Isle of Wight this November will be able to see two master glassmakers demonstrating the art of glassmaking. This is the first in a series of events run by the Isle of Wight Glass Museum.
On Sunday 21 November 2021, master glass craftsmen, brothers Ian and Vic Bamforth, will be taking part in ‘Inspired by Life’s Experience: Storytelling in Glass’. These internationally-renowned glass artists will travel from their base in Stourbridge to show off their skills at the famous Isle of Wight Studio Glass, run by Timothy Harris.
Museum Director Anton Doroszenko commented, “We’re delighted that they’ll be launching our events programme with this unique collaboration.”
The event will be an introduction to, and demonstration of, the art of glassmaking. Coffee and pastries will be served from 10.30am, and the event itself will start at 11.00am. The demo will be followed by a Q&A session. Guests will then be treated to a private viewing of selected artworks, plus a guided tour of the museum by the Director. There will also be an opportunity to speak directly with the experts.
“Each artist has his own distinctive style,” said Sue Beeby, the museum’s Development Manager. “Having been privileged to observe them all at work, I know that our guests will be in awe of their creativity and skill.”
The Isle of Wight Glass Museum, located with Isle of Wight Studio Glass at Arreton Barns Craft Village, celebrates the design and craftsmanship of glass makers based on the island, as well as those connected to the island, past and present. There are over 1,200 pieces on show, including many unique and never-before-seen objects, in two galleries.
Forthcoming events are planned for Valentine’s weekend 2022 (showcasing the next generation of talent), and the long weekend of the Queen’s Jubilee in May 2022 (another master craftsmen collaboration).
Location: Arreton Barns Craft Village, Main Road, Arreton, Isle of Wight, PO30 3AA.
Image: A piece from the Museum’s collection made by Ian Bamforth. The vase is made in four parts, which are fused together (the incalmo technique). It is a difficult process to line up all the parts exactly.
Vanessa Cutler has been working with waterjet technology in her glass design since the 1990s, prompted by a pre-internet search for an engineering company willing to cut some glass. Since then, she has consulted with businesses, artists and students to help them use waterjet technology successfully. Here, she explains what it is and how glass artists can harness its capabilities to get the best results.
Waterjet technology offers endless possibilities to artists, not only from an artistic, but also from an economic, standpoint. It enables the cutting of complex forms, cuts thicknesses from 1mm to 300mm and can be quicker and more efficient than having someone cut the material by hand. It also minimises waste and many larger studios and individuals use it for this reason.
The cost of cutting may seem high, but, for multiples, exactness of form and cutting thicker glass, it is a good process and cost effective.
This sort of glass cutting and precision would be impossible by hand. Waterjet technology enables glass artists to push the boundaries with their designs.
So what is waterjet technology?
Waterjet technology uses water under high pressure (around 50-60,000psi), which is pushed through a focusing tube and mixed with an abrasive (usually garnet) to create a jet. This jet is powerful enough to cut materials such as glass, steel and stone. Pure waterjet, that uses water alone, is used to cut softer items, such as paper or food. The jet washers used to clean pavements and cars are a basic example of how waterjet technology operates.
Designing for waterjet technology – where do you start?
Before you use waterjet technology to create your glass art, you need to produce your design in a format compatible with the waterjet machine. For this you will need to produce a Computer-Aided Design (CAD) file. These can be made in graphic design software, such as Adobe Illustrator (Creative suite), Rhino, or AutoCAD.
Draw an outline of the shape required and ‘save’ or ‘export’, depending on the software used, as a DXF (Drawing Exchange Format) file. A DXF file is a universal format for storing CAD models. A vector file is used for flatter cuts in 2D. It changes your drawing into a series of lines/code that the waterjet machine can read to plot the cutting route.
This design was created using SolidWorks software.
It is important that your drawing has a simple outline. A frequent mistake artists make is providing files that are filled in inside the drawing outline. This means that the programmer will either be unable to read the files, or they may be too messy to use. The cleaner the drawing, the less time the programmer needs to work on it.
If you need multiples cut, just give the programmer one drawing and the quantity required. They will ‘nest’ the drawing to fit onto the sheet of glass that you, or they, supply. Nesting is where many different parts are fitted into a sheet in an optimal configuration to avoid wastage.
If you need a piece of glass with a shape cut out, provide enough glass to cut the internal shape out with a margin. You only need to allow about 10mm extra in this case, but it makes set-up and programming much easier. It takes more time to line up and centre a single piece of glass.
What sorts of glass can you use with waterjet technology? You can use any glass, from 3mm stained glass sheets up to 20mm float glass – and even thicker.
Although I have used these machines for many years, I still find new approaches to working with them. The different ways people work the material offers something new to learn, whether for set-up, holding delicate pieces in place, or removing glass after cutting. Like any process, the more time you spend using the technology, the more you adapt and understand the best ways of using it.
During my practical PhD at Sunderland University, I saw the first waterjet machine set up in a glass environment. I had three days’ training and was then handed the keys. That’s where my training started. I learnt by cutting glass – and a variety of different materials – for others. This approach continued when I moved to Swansea, where I cut, and helped others apply the technology.
For the past five years I have not had immediate access to a machine and now work directly with industry. Once every 4-6 weeks I travel 4-5 hours to a company to cut work. All the computer file work is done prior to my visit. Where possible, I try to get the glass there ahead of time, as sometimes they can fit creation of small files around other commitments.
Allow time
It is important to understand that the work may not be cut on the day you send a file. Programming, setting up and the time needed for cutting work vary, depending on the thickness and complexity of the form. You may be expected to leave the glass and wait for them to contact you when it is done. Turnaround time can be from 7-21 days.
Your design file will be programmed into the waterjet machine so it can set up the cutting route.
The waterjet firm may look at the file programme, give you a cost and await your approval before cutting, then invoice afterwards.
Some waterjet companies you approach may not have worked with glass before. This was the case with a company I encountered when on a Wheaton Arts residency in the USA. However, that local company was willing to give it a try. I left the glass with them and collected it later in the week. Over those few days, they had played with some material and even cut their own logo for themselves. Since then, other glass artists have used their services. Therefore, if you try companies out, whether on residency or at home, you may find you are helping not only yourself but the company, too.
Providing clean, clear files and drawings is always important. The software I use is SolidWorks. This is very engineer-orientated, expensive, and not necessarily for an arts mindset. I use it for my other role delivering product design engineering at Chichester University. However, there are software options that are cheaper and, in some cases, free, especially if you only want to make the occasional file.
Other artists I know use Rhino, Fusion 360, or Adobe Creative Suite (with Illustrator generating the DXF or, with AutoCAD, DWG files). Note that when generating your file, in some software you don’t ‘save’ the file as a vector file, but ‘export’ it.
When choosing which software to use, there is no easy option. Any software takes time to learn and you’ll find ways of working and shortcuts that suit you. Nobody ever uses everything their software can do.
Each size of these multiples was made using a separate programme.
When designing for general cutting of flat, slightly uneven, or fused glass, keep it clean, with few segments. The form needs to be closed, with no extra lines or overlaps. Tiny curves and angles can be lost in cutting, so make the shape really defined. Glass thickness is not an issue, but it will take longer and use more garnet.
A poorly prepared file could cost you more, as the company must clean and tidy it before they can nest into the machine. The cost of software such as Adobe Creative Suite can be around £15 a month, while the cost of accessing a machine can be anything from £60-£150 an hour. Therefore, it is always best to send a file and get a cost for what you want done.
Maximise your use of the glass sheet. You can place shapes 1mm-5mm away from one another without it fracturing (depending on how well annealed your glass is). Also remember that there is a programme and set-up cost, whether you cut one piece or multiples.
Cutting axes
The software enables the generation of forms for both 3- and 5-axis cutting. The 3-axis is used for cutting out a flat shape via X (left/right) and Y (back/forth) coordinates, with the Z (up/down) axis generally at a fixed height about 2-3mm from the highest point of the glass, to stop any collision with the material and to maintain a continuous cutting line. Generally, the height of the head does not move to fit the contours of the material. The quality of cut can be affected by the distance of the head of the jet from the material. The closer it is to the material, the more focused the jet, while further away gives a wider, less focused cut.
Cutting with the 5-axis head allows more flexibility when creating 3D designs.
The 5-axis is used for more 3D work. It allows more movement, with an A axis (angle from perpendicular) and C axis (rotation around the Z axis). However, it must keep at a set distance to stop collisions and to enable more angular cuts. It does not partially cut a surface, like a router. There are ways of doing surface abrasion, but not on large areas. Sandblasting is quicker and more efficient.
The design file you provide gives the company the visuals to programme and visually assess the viability/difficulty of your project.
Should you buy waterjet software?
There is no need to purchase the waterjet software the machines use unless you have a machine, or are using a particular machine regularly. Plus, the machines are all different and run with different software.
Cutting glass on the compact ProtoMAX waterjet machine.
For the past five years I have worked closely with Omax Corporation. I have spent time at their HQ using their Intelli-MAX software to scan the handwriting used in my recent work.
At the 2021 Glass Art Society (GAS) conference I demonstrated the production of a piece of glass on Omax’s compact ProtoMAX waterjet machine, from file, through set-up and cutting. (Contact me if you would like to see it). Whether cutting small or large, the same principles apply; you require the same DXF files to generate your shapes.
However, in the case of artworks such as ‘Flight’ (main image above) and ‘Mechanics’, the cutting was overseen by an operator following my specifications, as they were created using 5-axis technology.
‘Mechanics’ was created using a waterjet machine with 5-axis technology. Photo: Simon Bruntnell.
Not every waterjet company can do 5-axis cutting. The majority normally cut steel and work with only 3-axis technology. They are used to cutting big, large multiple shapes that aren’t fragile and don’t need special handling like glass. They often cut using 6-80 grade garnet that can be very coarse if the feed rate and speed of cutting isn’t programmed to suit the material.
Ideally, glass needs to be cut more slowly, with a sacrificial material underneath it, such as plywood. It is worth noting that some types of plywood generate foam, resulting in a large bubble bath, which is not great when cutting delicate forms.
Examples of waterjet-cut glass, showing fine details.
In my work I vary the thickness of the plywood and the material, depending on what is being cut. Many firms cut under water to reduce the noise levels. However, I prefer not to do this with glass, as smaller, break-out shapes can move and collide with the cutting head, causing blockages, dragging or machine stoppage. Where possible, weigh the glass down. It is best to weight around the material, not on it, because, as you cut, you add further tension to one area, and it may fracture.
For many, accessing a machine may be difficult. However, several organisations provide a waterjet cutting service and offer advice and help, including the National Glass Centre at the University of Sunderland, Plymouth College of Art and the University of Wales Trinity Saint David (UWTSD). In addition, Barclays Community Labs, makers’ guilds, and Fab Labs offer advice and help small businesses, sole traders, or anyone interested, to access the technology or to learn about making the files.
My best advice is to give it a go!
About the author
Vanessa Cutler is a Professor at Chichester University, an artist and a waterjet consultant. She is currently working on new work for a solo show, which will be the inaugural exhibition for the new Stourbridge Glass Museum, opening in April 2022. Her book, ‘New technologies in Glass’, published by Bloomsbury, is available on Amazon. Find out more about Vanessa and her work via her website: https://www.vanessacutler.com
Main feature image: ‘Flight’ (Dimensions 420 x 150 x 150mm), by Vanessa Cutler, shows the intricate features possible with glass that has been cut using waterjet technology. It was selected for the Toyama Glass Exhibition 2021. Photo: Simon Bruntnell.
The 2022 Stevens Competition invites early-stage glass artists to design a window for the church at Dunsden, where the war poet Wilfred Owen (1893-1918) lived from 1911 to 1913.
Run by the Worshipful Company of Glaziers and Painters of Glass, the Stevens Competition 2022 will select the up-and-coming Architectural Glass Artist of the Year.
The annual competition, which celebrates its 50th year in 2022, is open to students, assistants or employees of independent glass artists or commercial firms, self employed glass artists and artists from outside the UK, who have commenced their vocation in glass since 2014.
The competition awards a series of cash prizes for design and craftsmanship.
The window design will be installed at All Saints Church at Dunsden, South Oxfordshire and supported by the Dunsden Owen Association (DOA). Wilfred Owen came to the village in 1911 to act as lay assistant to the vicar. The organisation is seeking a striking, contemporary work to commemorate the time that the First World War poet, Wilfred Owen, spent in the village. The DOA states: “We would like the window design to reflect his stay here. Influential aspects include his encounters with local working people and their poverty; the church and its hierarchy; his empathy for the local landscape; and his study of botany at the university.”
A site visit to tour the church is available on 11 November 2021 at 11am, with the option for individual visits on other dates by prior arrangement.
Glass bead artists are invited to submit their beads to the first International Glass Bead Biennale. This new event is being held for the first time as part of the International Festival of Glass 2022, alongside the British Glass Biennale.
It is open to artists, designers, craftspeople and students of all nationalities worldwide who create beads with glass as the key design element.
The work must demonstrate the highest level of excellence in design, creative imagination and technical skill.
Submission criteria:
Each artist can submit up to three beads for consideration.
Each bead must be predominantly made of glass, but can incorporate other materials.
The bead must not exceed 6cm in size, but can be mounted, for example as a piece of jewellery.
The work must have been made since 1 March 2019.
All pieces selected for display must be for sale.
The cost of submission is £10.00 and the deadline for entries is midnight on 27 February 2022.
The Jury for the International Glass Bead Biennale 2022 comprises: Vic Bamforth (glass artist); Barbara Beadman (Hon. Member GBUK; Director of British Glass; Prime Warden, Worshipful Company of Glass Sellers of London), and Pauline Holt (Jazzy Lily Glass, Hon. Member GBUK).
The International Glass Bead Biennale opens on 26 August 2022 and closes on 1 October 2022.
The Private View and Awards Ceremony will be held by invitation on 25 August 2022 at The Glasshouse Arts Centre, Wollaston Road, Amblecote, Stourbridge, West Midlands DY8 4HF, UK.
The Contemporary Glass Society (CGS) and Stourbridge Glass Museum (SGM) are proud to announce a joint commission for a piece of contemporary glass art to be shown in the new museum’s Reception Area during 2022.
The competition is open to all CGS members (join CGS here) and the winning design will be purchased for SGM’s permanent collection.
The challenge is to create a stunning celebration of glass, one that displays dazzling originality along with a virtuoso use of techniques. The aim is not only to celebrate 25 years of the CGS but also to stop visitors in their tracks with a work that sparkles and delights. This is your chance to create the piece of contemporary glass artwork you always dreamed of making.
The chosen work will be officially unveiled during the International Festival of Glass in August 2022.
The SGM’s reception area offers a great opportunity to feature a hanging glasswork (see photograph) and the Museum has a winch with up to 200 KG max weight for sculptural glass pieces. However, all other 2D and 3D glass art forms will be considered. Hanging work, wall pieces and plinth-based work are welcome, as long as they meet Health and Safety standards. Please note that hanging works will have to be accompanied by a Health and Safety Risk Assessment and may require Structural Engineer approval. Any costs incurred for this must come from the funding available. Both individual artworks and collaborative proposals are welcome, although group entries would share the payment.
The work can combine different materials or found objects but at least 50% must be glass. It must be resilient to heat and light as it is not possible to control environmental factors at the museum. The winner must deliver it and supervise installation, should that be necessary.
The commission budget of £4,000 (to include the purchase of the work for the SGM) has been jointly funded by the CGS (through donations from Collector Members) and SGM. This money includes the design, construction and delivery of the work to the SGM by 22 August 2022.
The closing date for applications is Monday 15 November 2021 at 5pm (UK time). The panel will comprise CGS board members, museum staff and trustees. A short list of four finalists will be chosen, who must be available to attend an online interview on Monday 6 December 2021.
The winning artist(s) will be informed by 15 December 2021. At this point, 50% of the funding will be released, with the remaining monies paid following delivery and installation of the piece.
Location: Stourbridge Glass Museum, Stuart Works, High Street, Wordsley, Stourbridge, DY8 4FB UK.
Don’t look now but Christmas is on the way and the Contemporary Glass Society (CGS) is offering shoppers the chance to buy beautiful glasswork gifts direct from the makers.
After last year’s successful ‘A is for Affordable’ online event, the CGS is returning with ‘A is for Affordable Part 2’. This is a showcase of reasonably priced glass art that would make perfect presents for you, your friends and loved ones. It takes place between 13 November 2021 and 6 January 2022, so set a reminder now.
CGS members will offer their beautiful glass at affordable prices so you can not only admire, but also purchase, a piece of gorgeousness for yourself, or to give as a gift. All work is priced from £50 to £500.
Simply browse the artworks and confer with the artist(s) of choice to pay and have your gifts sent.
CGS members wishing to show and sell with ‘A is for Affordable’ need to submit their work by 8 November 2021. Simply log in to your profile on the CGS website, click ‘Submit to exhibitions’ and select ‘A for Affordable 2’ from the dropdown exhibition list to upload your image and details. CGS asks only for a small donation from any sales made.
If you are not yet a member of CGS and would like to take part in this selling exhibition, you can join today.
Recent glass graduate Bethan Yates explains how she developed an artwork for the prestigious English National Opera during lockdown.
The Richard Seager award is an annual arts and crafts award set up by Valerie Seager in memory of her husband Richard. The award provides opportunities to emerging artists and designers in the form of a commission. The organisation that receives the commission is usually one which has contributed to society, culture and the environment in a positive way.
In 2020, a few months after graduating from the glass course at Swansea College of Art, I submitted a design to the award brief for that year. I presented my idea to a board of judges, via Zoom, during the first lockdown and was lucky enough to be chosen as the winner.
The commission was to be for the English National Opera (ENO), which was chosen for its outstanding response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The costume department had made scrubs for the NHS, and a wellbeing programme called ENO Breathe was set up for those recovering from the virus.
The commission was to create a piece of art to hang in the Sky Bar at the London Coliseum theatre in Westminster, home to the ENO.
Left to right: Award founder Valerie Seager, glass artist Bethan Yates, and Chairman of the Board of the English National Opera, Harry Brunjes, at the unveiling of the winning commission, installed in the London Coliseum. Photo: John Snelling.
One of the enormous privileges of this project for me, was the opportunity to work with the ENO Youth Company. I ran an online ‘mark making to opera’ workshop with them, using the music from three operas which hold particular significance for the ENO – ‘The Mikado’, ‘Peter Grimes’ and ‘Carmen’. The youth members produced drawings and patterns that directly inspired the final piece. In a process of enlarging, repeating and layering, I created an energetic and flowing artwork.
As the youth members are the future of the company, I wanted them represented in the work. I included subtle variations of their mark making through painting and silver stain and incorporated their signatures through sandblasting and etching.
Side view of Bethan’s installation, showing the different angles of the glass to catch the light through the day and at night. Photo: Bethan Yates.
The final piece is made in two layers, which are hung at slightly different angles. It is designed to change throughout the day, with the position of the sun, artificial spotlights at night, or as an individual engages with it in the space.
Marine fixings were used, as a nod to the stage crews of old, who came from ships to man theatre rigging. The yellow stain used on the glass was another important feature, linking this contemporary artwork with the original, silver-stained Edwardian glass found throughout the theatre, which was designed by architect Frank Matcham.
This was my first real commission and I couldn’t have asked for a more challenging, yet rewarding, experience. The awards team were amazing and provided so much support to me throughout the 18 months. We had multiple Zoom meetings to discuss the design and development of my ideas, consider the architecture of the building, and how to work with the client.
The steepest learning curve was the safety aspect of the design, as the piece was to hang on a wall above three connecting staircases, in a listed building! I approached many companies for advice on safety glass, fixtures and fittings, plus how to attach the weight to the wall. We’d learnt a bit about this in university but having to do it in real life, during a pandemic and multiple lockdowns, within budget, was a huge task.
The location of the artwork above three staircases necessitated many consultations on safety and materials.
I did learn that the glass community, although quite small in comparison to others, is also one of the most generous with time and knowledge. I had so many questions throughout the project and I found myself going back and asking my old tutors and technicians, or glass friends I’d met through Instagram, for help and advice. Everyone was so excited for me and so eager to help. If they didn’t have the answer, they’d point me to the person who did.
It has been such an amazing experience and, although very difficult at times, I’m so happy to have had it at this early stage in my career.
Left to right: Award founder Valerie Seager, glass artist Bethan Yates, and Chairman of the Board of the English National Opera, Harry Brunjes, at the unveiling of the winning commission, installed in the London Coliseum. Photo: John Snelling.
Main image: The finished installation by Bethan Yates, winner of the Richard Seager award 2020. Photo: John Snelling.
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.
The Gazetteer of Irish Stained Glass is published in hardback, has 290 pages, and costs €35/£29.99 (ISBN: 9781788551298). It is available from bookshops or via Amazon.
Dark Beauty is available in hardback and paperback. It has 228 pages, and is illustrated in full colour. It costs €35.00/£29.99 for the hardback edition. Order it via the publisher, Irish Academic Press, 
