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Norwich Cathedral’s Hostry is showcasing a collaborative exhibition of work by two artists, featuring stained glass panels made during lockdown by Sasha Ward, based on drawings by Ray Ward.

Called ‘The Cloud of Unknowing’, the two-month exhibition runs from 12 October until 12 December.

Alongside the series of stained glass panels, the exhibition features a guide to making stained glass and draws a link between the couple’s contemporary art and the stained glass windows in the cathedral and churches around the county.

Although they worked alongside each other since meeting at art school more than 30 years ago, this is the first time Sasha and Ray have collaborated on an exhibition together.

Ray’s art is full of droll, everyday imagery describing passing thoughts or small incidents. He finds his subject matter not only from observing real life, but also from newspapers, leaflets, billboards, television, radio and his imagination.

Ray said: “The pictures are written from scratch. I have no idea what they are going to be when I start. I have displayed them in groups on the wall forming clouds which you can see as a whole. But if you look harder you can always see something else in the cloud, whether it is a camel, a weasel or a whale.”

Sasha is an architectural glass artist who works to commission making windows and other features for mostly modern public buildings. Her distinctive glass panels are highly decorative, with pattern and strong colour applied to the glass using her own enamelling and sandblasting techniques.

At the start of lockdown, Sasha took a step away from commissioned work and returned to traditional stained glass techniques and figurative imagery, with a series of glass portraits and interpretations of Ray’s drawings.

Sasha said: “The people in Ray’s pictures have always intrigued me in the same way that the figures in church windows do. For me, the new collaborative panels make a link between my own practice and the work of the favourite stained glass artists that have inspired my career.”

‘The Cloud of Unknowing’ is open Monday to Friday 10am-4pm, Saturday 10am–3pm and Sunday 1pm-2.30pm.

Admission is free.

For more information about the artists’ work visit www.sashaward.co.uk and www.artward.co.uk

Feature image: Grain of Sand, by Sasha Ward.

Nick Mount has been blowing glass since a cowboy boot-wearing American introduced him to it in the mid-1970s. Looking back, it was a fortuitous time as only months earlier he had married his partner of now more than 45 years, Pauline. Together they went on to establish Victoria’s first hot glass studio, raise three relatively well-adjusted children, and develop an internationally renowned arts practice. Today, they enjoy the chaos of family events with seven grandchildren and Nick is celebrated as one of the most important and influential figures in contemporary Australian studio glass.

Based in Adelaide, South Australia, Nick works out of a home studio and the JamFactory’s open access hot shop. In the traditions of the studio glass movement, he is an advocate for communal training and production, and has a reputation for being a generous teacher and mentor. He also travels regularly, both exhibiting and demonstrating around the world.

Nick’s work is materials and process driven. His early exposure to the thriving studio glass scene on the West Coast of the United States, and the historic and cultural traditions of the Venetians remain an enduring influence. So, too, does his commitment to continually expanding his knowledge of the enigmatic qualities of glass and his belief in the power of working with his hands. More broadly, Nick draws on that which is most important to him: his family; the productive garden he and Pauline have spent 30 years cultivating; the glass community; and the people and places he visits.

Nick says, “While I have been able to continue with my work in the studio without much interruption, I have not had the same access to the furnaces and have had to reimagine my place as a maker.

“The work that has come from this period may seem like another small step in the continuing evolution of my ‘shoots’ and ‘fruits’ series but it has come from a very different period of time and a very different place.

“Some of these new pieces refer more directly to the shapes and colours of fruits that we know. Some of them are less recognisable. Maybe from the future or another place. Maybe from trees or plants that we don’t yet know that hold the promise of something new and exciting. Or frightening.”

The exhibition is on from 10 October to 4 November at the Sabbia Gallery, 609 Elizabeth Street, Redfern, Sydney NSW 2016 Australia. https://sabbiagallery.com

Feature image: Prunus in Repose, photographed by Pippy Mount.

Would you like the chance to show your glass creation at Japan’s Toyama International Glass Exhibition, which is scheduled to take place from 10 July-3 October 2021? Applications are open now.

The Toyama event is an international, open-submission triennial competition that showcases outstanding works of contemporary glass art from around the world. It is held at the Toyama Glass Art museum, whose remit is to support the latest breakthroughs in creative expression.

The inaugural event in 2018 received 1,110 entries from 46 countries and over 20,000 people visited the exhibition. The 2021 exhibition will be held in Toyama City, which has long been known as ‘the City of Glass Art’.

Applications will be accepted until 10 December 2020. Entry is free but those selected for the second round of judging will need to cover the cost of shipping their artworks to the venue in Japan.

Digital images of the submitted works will be judged on 20-21 February 2021, with the judging of actual works on 17-18 April 2021, when the prize winners will be chosen. Prizes are in Japanese Yen and range from around £20,000 for the top Grand Prize award to £735 for the judges’ prize (less tax).

All works that pass the two-step review process will be shown at Toyama International Glass Exhibition 2021 at Toyama Glass Art Museum in the autumn of 2021.

In 2018 the majority of submissions featured glassblowing or casting techniques, but alongside these were artworks combining glass with metal and/or ceramics, and large-scale installations incorporating sound systems and projectors. The Grand Prize-winning work, Shield II by Æsa Björk, was a compound installation in which images were projected onto eight glass shields hung from the ceiling and electronically converted sounds of brainwaves were played through small speakers in the shields. A faint contour of a human figure was seen wavering on the shields, providing the viewer with a moving experience.

The judges for 2021 have been drawn from an international field and each is an expert in contemporary glass. In addition to five Japanese judges, there are three from North America, one from Asia/Oceania, and two from Europe.

Toyama Glass Art Museum is located at: 5-1 Nishicho, Toyama City, Toyama 930-0062, Japan. Full entry details via the website: https://toyama-glass.jp/en/

Main photo: Toyama International Glass Exhibition 2018 exhibits at Toyama Glass Art Museum. Photo by Kichiro Okamura, courtesy of Toyama Glass Art Museum.

Second photo: 2018 Grand Prize winner Shield II by Æsa Björk from Norway. Sound: Tinna Thorsteinsdóttir, Technical assistants: Josh Kopel and Nanna Einarsdóttir. Collection of Toyama Glass Art Museum. Photo by Kichiro Okamura.

Emerging glass artist Chris Day is making his debut at Vessel Gallery, with a solo exhibition running from 28 September to 31 October 2020. His highly personal pieces discuss and investigate the treatment of black people in Britain and the USA, making his artworks powerful and thought provoking.

The show is part of London Craft Week, which runs from 30 September – 8 October, and Kensington & Chelsea Art Week, on from 1-11 October.

Chris Day says, “Like the glass, I have pushed my approach in how I work with glass and ceramics in both traditional and experimental methods, to create contemporary artworks that represent my passion for this part of our history. As a black glassblower, I am one of few, and on a quest to find and inspire more. My main purpose, however, is to engage the audience on issues that are hard to confront on many levels, using art to help overcome some of the traumas that haunt our collective past.”

Vessel Gallery is at 114 Kensington Park Rd, London W11 2PW, and the exhibition is open from Monday to Friday, 11am to 5pm.

Feature image: Blown, Bound and Bold, by Chris Day. Second image: Emmett Till, by Chris Day. Photo credits: Ester Segarra.

Applications are now invited for the Christmas edition of Great Northern Contemporary Craft Fair online.

Time is short to apply as the closing date is midnight on Sunday 4 October 2020.

The event will run online from 21-22 November 2020.

Great Northern Events, a not for profit organisation, organises the portfolio of Great (& Little) Contemporary Craft Fairs in the North of England. All exhibitors are selected for their excellence in their craft by an expert panel, to sell their work to the public and trade. It is in its 13th year.

Applications are welcomed from both new and established designer-makers and artists from across the UK and further afield, working in glass, ceramics, jewellery, interior textiles, fashion design & accessories, print-making, wood, lighting, furniture, product design, metal, basket-making and more.

Click here to see full details and start your application: http://www.greatnorthernevents.co.uk/apply.aspx

Meanwhile, do take a look at the Great Northern Graduates Online exhibition. This is a digital showcase of some of the best craft and design graduates from the North’s universities, selected in collaboration with course leaders. View their virtual degree shows here: http://www.greatnorthernevents.co.uk/homepage-gnccf/2020-great-northern-graduates-online.aspx

Featured image: Graeme Hawes Glass; Photo credit: Jamie Coles.

A selection of exciting glass courses is on offer at the Glass Hub in Wiltshire, UK, in the closing months of 2020 and into 2021. Why not book a class with an expert glassmaker and give yourself something to look forward to that will also enhance your skills? Have a look at the choices below:

8 to 11 October 2020: Experimenting with Colour Dropouts with Ruth Shelley

14 to 16 October 2020: Advanced Pattern Making in Glass Masterclass with Ian Chadwick

8 to 9 November 2020: Colour and Form Masterclass with Katherine Huskie

11 to 13 November 2020: Fusing Doesn’t have to be Flat with Nina Casson McGarva

20 to 22 January 2021: Form to Fuse Masterclass with Andrea Spencer

1 to 5 February 2021: Flexible Fusing Masterclass with Matthew Szösz

8 to 12 February 2021: Advanced Pattern Making in Glass Masterclass with Ian Chadwick

2 to 5 March 2021: Collage for Kiln Casting with Georgia Redpath

12 to 14 March 2021: Hot Glass Sculpture with James Devereux

30 March to 1 April 2021: Graal Masterclass with Sonja Klingler & Ruth Dresman

21 to 23 April 2021: Printing Techniques for Glass with Philippa Beveridge

14 to 16 May 2021: Fusing with the ‘Wow’ Factor with Opal Seabrook

25 to 28 May 2021: Kiln Casting Glass Masterclass with Fiaz Elson

11 to 17 September 2021: The Perfect Vessel Masterclass with Karl Harron

29 September – 1 October 2021: Follow the Torch – Hot Glass Masterclass with Elliot Walker

14 to 17 October 2021: The Freedom of the ‘One-Off’ – Ice Casting Masterclass with Joseph Harrington

In addition to these classes, the Glass Hub has a programme of courses for less advanced students. All classes will be run in accordance with COVID-19 regulations. Find out more via the website: https://www.theglasshub.co.uk/glass-courses.html

Photo: Colony of Colonies by Georgia Redpath; Photo Credit: Simon Bruntnell.

As has happened with so many events recently, the 2021 International Festival of Glass and British Glass Biennale have been postponed and rescheduled for August 2022.

Speaking in September 2020, Janine Christley, the Festival Director, explained, “With the call to artists for the Biennale due to be launched in the next few weeks, we have had to make this difficult decision now, even though the festival is 11 months away. Our priority is to keep our artists and audience safe and the fact that the pandemic is still a significant global health concern creates uncertainty around international travel and exchange. We are also mindful that Glasshouse College, which hosts the festival, works with some of the UK’s most vulnerable young people.”

The Festival will now take place from 26-29 August 2022.

The theme remains East Asian glass and the artists from Japan, South Korea, China and Taiwan who were scheduled to take part in the 2021 events, will attend in 2022 instead.

Make a note in your diary now to attend these highlights of the contemporary glass calendar in Stourbridge in 2022.

Photo: Monica Guggisberg, Biennale jury member, judging glass exhibits at the previous event. Credit: John Plant

Kirsteen Aubrey has taken over from Milly Frances as the new editor of Glass Network print edition. Here she explains her own glass journey and how she proposes to develop the CGS magazine. 

Glass is a niche market, yet its contribution to the wider sector of Craft, and even larger Creative Industries, is significant. The Creative Industries support the UK economy to the tune of £111 billion, of which Crafts contribute  £3.4 billion.

While we may be a niche collective, we have significant value as creatives working with glass. My aim as Editor is to share the value of what we do, from our inspiration to create work, through to our experimentation with ideas and process, to the final artefacts. Telling our stories will extend our glass community, reaching out to other creatives, enthusiasts and buyers, to celebrate our work with us.

I believe that in articulating the narratives and motivations behind our individual glass practice, we promote the value, creative potential and technical mastery involved in producing our glasswork to the public. Motivators such as culture, identity, politics and sustainability may be key features, yet each of us interacts with different agendas, or the same agenda, in different ways. Capturing and sharing your stories is central to the success of Glass Network, and a main driver for my desire to become Glass Network print Editor. Do get in touch with me to share your own ideas and inspirations.

My personal practice spans 30 years (eek!) and has involved a range of glass processes, including kiln, lamp and blown glass. My work was exhibited in the retrospective at National Glass Centre, celebrating their 21^st anniversary. Exhibiting as one of 60 strong glass makers, the works represented “artists who have helped develop the city’s reputation for excellence in glass” (Sunderland Echo, 16 April 2019).

Collaboration has been a key interest in my glass practice, both between glass practitioners and with practitioners from diverse disciplines. Each collaboration provides new experiences and challenge, relying on an openness and trust to create new work. Each resulted in outcomes that explored the agency of glass as a creative medium. Here, I have collaborated across glass and crochet, exhibited in ‘Pairings’ at Contemporary Applied Arts (2012), and later combining textiles and lampworked glass with Alice Kettle to create an installation for VAS:T at the Royal Scottish Academy. In subsequent collaborations I have worked with a haiku poet, an astrophysicist and photographers.

Recent work includes developing hand-blown lenses for photography, exploring ways of seeing. The results featured in ‘Radical Matters’ as part of the International Association of Societies of Design Research (2019), Milan Virtual Design festival (2020) and were captured on film for ‘Glass, Meet the Future’ (2020), a North Lands Creative initiative.

Ellie Miller, who co-owned the Miller Gallery in the USA with her husband, Bob, died on 1 September 2020 after a long battle with colon cancer. Ellie and Bob championed the work of British and Irish glass artists, encouraging them to showcase their art in their gallery from the 1980s onwards.

Their first gallery, The Studio Glass Gallery of Great Britain, was established in Montclair, New Jersey, in the mid-1980s, before moving to Manhattan and becoming the Miller Gallery. It was responsible for bringing UK artists, such as David Reekie, Keith Cummings and Colin Reid to the attention of American glass collectors.

Ellie previously held roles as a director of UrbanGlass and the Creative Glass Center of America. She and Bob participated in many SOFA and Wheaton Glass Weekend events until they closed their gallery.

One of the glass artists whose career in the USA was boosted by Ellie’s support, David Reekie, adds his own tribute:

It was with great sadness that we have heard the news that Ellie Miller has died.

Through their gallery in New Jersey, Bob and Ellie created a valuable stepping-stone for many young British and Irish glass artists into the United States.

The 1980s represented an important time for contemporary glass in the UK, as glass courses in art colleges were thriving and galleries specialising in glass art were opening their doors.

Ellie and Bob Miller crossed the pond to attend British Artists in Glass conferences and made many friends by encouraging young artists to show their work in the States.

In the late 1980s they moved the gallery to central New York, establishing the Miller Gallery on Broadway. It became a very important international gallery specialising in sculptural glass art, but still remembered its roots and continued to exhibit the work of British creatives.

Ellie and Bob retired in 2001. Ellie was a wonderful, happy and encouraging woman and she will be missed by the glass community.

David Reekie