In a bid to defy Covid and celebrate handmade glass, Bristol’s Ken Stradling Collection is hosting the Fire and Ice exhibition, which will be viewable from the street, this December.
Passers-by will be able to enjoy the vivid coloured glass of Britain’s famous Whitefriars glassworks, alongside the bold, ice-white forms of mid-century Scandinavian glassmaking. The display will use the facade of 48 Park Row and will be on show from 15 December until 28 February 2021.
Fire and Ice showcases glass from the 1950s to the 1970s, a period of bold experiments which took glassmaking to new levels of sparkling originality. The Whitefriars factory became famous in the 19th century and is associated with William Morris and the Arts and Crafts Movement. Its mastery in the field of colour saw the firm attain new heights of success in the 1950s, feeding the appetite for bright, optimistic colours in post-war British homes. In contrast, the glassmakers of Scandinavia took a different path, seeking inspiration from the frozen landscapes of their homelands.
In 1948 Ken Stradling joined the Bristol Guild of Applied Arts and began sourcing and selling new and innovative furnishings and objects. He also started a personal collection of 20th and 21st-century objects, including furniture, glass and ceramics. This collection, now managed by the Ken Stradling Trust, is housed at 48 Park Row, as is the Design Study Centre. On the ground floor, the Stradling Gallery hosts a regular programme of design-related exhibitions.
Glassblowing at Bristol Blue Glass. Photo: Steve Fearn.
Other glass attractions in the city include glassblowers Bristol Blue Glass, who have revived the traditional art of creating the famous Bristol Blue glass, and Catriona R Mackenzie Glass, featuring sanctuary-inspired FRITH glassware. See more at: CatMacKGlass.
Eryngii Jars by Catriona R MacKenzie Glass.
Main image: a mixture of glass from the Ken Stradling Collection, including pieces by Fulvio Bianco (blue/red stripes bottle); Ronald Stennett-Wilson (green candleholder); Pukeburg (clear candle holder with face) and Tamara Alladin (blue angular vase). Photographer: Stella Man.
Lucie Kovarova-Weir’s detailed glass canework and jewellery evolved from her fascination with beadmaking and a background in animation. Here she explains her glass story, which started once upon a time in the Czech Republic and ends happily ever after in Canada.
I was born in a small town in the Czech Republic. My family is full of teachers, chemists and engineers, and I am the only anomaly, having chosen art as my profession. Growing up, I always loved working with my hands and building things – anything from sculptures to dolls’ houses. I always loved to draw and paint. My mum taught me how to knit and sew very early and I have been making my own clothes since I was 12 years old.
Folk tales and history are a strong influence on Lucie’s work.
My early years education happened under a Communist government, which seems quite surreal to me now. Thankfully that introduced me to national folk art and folk fairy tales, topics that strongly resonate with me to this day. Most of my work is inspired and influenced by folk and outsider art. I often look to art history as a source, too.
I attended the Art High School of Vaclav Hollar and then The Academy of Arts, Architecture and Design in Prague, earning a Masters degree with a major in Animation. On paper, this means I am an independent filmmaker/director. For my graduation project I picked a Cherokee fairy tale, and made all the puppets for the film out of hand-dyed silk and seed beads.
Around this time, my friend asked me to help in her new bead store at Prague Castle. Being a broke filmmaker, and loving beads, I took the job. This is where I was first introduced to handmade glass beads and glass jewellery. I was fascinated by the small objects of glass, with flowers inside. We had no idea how the beads were made but we dreamt of finding a torch and learning how to make them.
Finally, a friend from the glass studio at school showed me how she made beads in her kitchen. This experience made me feel like I’d just walked on the Moon.
Shortly after that I moved to Toronto in Canada to join my husband in the animation studio where he worked. All the time I was doing animation I could not stop thinking and talking about how I was going to make beads.
Lucie in her studio, creating new cane work.
My husband bought me a $2 hot head torch at a garage sale. “Hey, this might work,” he said. I discovered that Nortel (a Canadian torch manufacturer and glass supplier) was located in the north of the city, and made a pilgrimage on public transit (three hours one-way) to buy my first batch of glass. I set my plumber’s hot head torch up in a tiny basement room and made my first beads. No kiln, no ventilation, no instructions.
After a month I went back to Nortel to buy more glass. I also bought a Minor torch and a Cindy Jenkins book on how to make glass beads. I was completely immersed. I went to the office four days a week and spent weekends flameworking, with the book on my lap, following the exercises step by step, from the first page to the last, and then again and again. This was in around 2002, when there was little information on flameworking available.
One of the last examples in the book was a simple letter cane, with a very brief description of how to make it. I did. I was completely blown away, because I discovered you can build this gather with a pattern inside and pull it into a bar. It shrinks on a scale, with the design remaining intact. I almost fell off my chair. I did a couple of letters, fish, a flower, my first face, and soon began incorporating them into beads and pendants.
Lucie specialises in creating highly detailed stories in flameworked glass.
At this time, I still did not have a kiln. I was flame-annealing all my work, up to a size of a small egg, then periodically I packed up my piles of beads and took them to a friend’s to batch anneal everything at once. When I finally bought a tiny kiln, it improved my cane practice greatly. My designs could be bigger, with more components and details.
I stopped animating and, while waiting for my immigration paperwork to go through, I started Lunacy Glass. I outgrew my tiny basement studio and found a studio space in an old factory building. It was about 500 square feet and all mine! It accommodated proper ventilation and a fairly large torch. Ontario winters last from October until May, which was fine by me; I was sitting behind the bench learning all this glass stuff, completely happy.
Eventually I decided to venture out to my first conference. I was so excited to meet all these other canemakers. I was surprised to find that there really are just a handful of artists that do this type of glass work behind the torch. Most of the canework is done by glassblowers on a much larger scale, and with much less detail. At the conference I met Loren Stump and decided to take his class. It was 2006 and the Corning Museum of Glass awarded me a scholarship to work in the studio. This was a very important experience for me, visiting Corning for the first time and spending time in the studio. I saw how much more I could learn and do.
When I first arrived in Toronto, I started attending Toronto Bead Society meetings and selling my first beads through their enthusiastic member base. In the spring and summer, I began selling my beads and jewellery at arts and craft fairs – small ones at first, then bigger, more serious ones. I was building my client/collector base and growing relationships with galleries. I participated in several group shows and applied for grants and government programmes, some of which I got.
I love working with glass as the material forces you to learn a new thing or two every day. I look forward to kiln opening at the end of its cycle to see what I have made.
Frida Kahlo recreated in a bold, floral bangle.
Over time my work has changed, partly due to customer demand. Initially, I was making 800 spacer beads a day and selling them to jewellery designers. Then I began making larger beads and pendants, which evolved into jewellery. Nowadays my jewellery features just cane on its own. Recently I have been casting some of the large murrine cane pieces into panels and dishes but, as this is a time-consuming process, I do not expect to have any presentable pieces for a couple of years.
A sketchbook showing the planning of the skeleton canes.Glass panel featuring skeletons, fruits and flowers.
My source images are intimate, narrative and dreamy, and my work has a sense of humour and lightness of spirit. I have sketchbooks full of inspiration that will last me for the next 30 years.
Anniversary necklace, 2001-2020, featuring murrine cane coins set in silver.
I sell my work through several galleries in Canada and the USA. I have an Etsy store for chipped cane and smaller items and sell collector murrine cane coins through my website.
Even though I have not really made beads for a few years, everything I know I owe to beads. I am a flameworker, but I am a beadmaker through and through.
In 2017, Amanda Moriarty, a long-serving Board member and Honorary Treasurer of CGS, passed away. In memory of her enthusiasm and encouragement of glassmaking, we offer an annual prize to CGS members. For 2021, the prize is the chance to take part in a four-day hotshop residency.
Devereux and Huskie Glassworks have generously donated a four-day residency in their studio and the winner will have the opportunity to extend their practice with the assistance of both James Devereux and Katherine Huskie.
The aim will be to develop an idea or project and produce a new piece of work or project through to a finished piece. This will be achieved in two parts: Session One – idea development and preparation for Session Two; Session Two – Production of finished works.
CGS will also pay £300 towards accommodation/travel during the residency.
This is a fantastic opportunity to work in a well-equipped hotshop alongside two established artists.
The residency will take place in 2021, subject to studio availability and coronavirus restrictions. This will be discussed and confirmed with James and Katherine.
We know that there will be a great deal of interest in this prize so please ensure that you tell us all about yourself and what you hope to achieve in your application.
The prize is open to all CGS members. Apply by completing an application form via this link and returning it to admin@cgs.org.uk by 1 December 2020.
During the first COVID-19 lockdown, glass artist David Reekie drew a Happy Face to help start his day. This is something he does most days, but these drawings were more considered. David is selling the sketches to raise funds towards the 25thAnniversary activities of the Contemporary Glass Society (CGS) so, not only do you have the opportunity to own a piece of unique art by a renowned glass artist, but you will also be helping the CGS to support its members and the wider contemporary glass scene.
The ink drawings are on 30 x 30cm and 22 x22 cm squares of kitchen paper and reflect David’s vast imagination. Each one is dated and totally individual.
He drew around 50 drawings, dated from 9 April-2 June 2020, which are for sale at £20 each, including p&p. Of the funds raised, 70% will go to the CGS and 30% to the Macmillan cancer charity.
The drawings are sold on a first-come-first-served basis, so you pay your money and we will send you a drawing that is guaranteed to put a smile on your face! Already more than half have been sold.
So, to secure your own Happy Face by David Reekie, please make payment by PayPal to admin@cgs.org.uk or by BACS to CGS, sort code 55-61-08, account 66519578. Please also send your name and address and proof of payment to admin@cgs.org.uk. You can request a specific date, but we cannot guarantee we will have it.
UPDATE: All of the drawings are now sold out. In all, 52 were sold, giving a net total of £1,105 after postage and raising £773 for CGS and £332 for Macmillan. Thank you David!
To mark its 40th anniversary year, the volunteer-led Scottish Glass Society (SGS) commissioned a report to examine its achievements, the current needs of members and the wider Scottish glass sector, to ensure it continues to effectively promote Scottish glass and support practitioners in the future.
Funding from Creative Scotland’s Open Project Fund was used to employ a creative industries freelancer to review the work of the Society and make recommendations on the operational and strategic direction of the organisation.
Surveys and focus groups with SGS members and interviews with key individuals in the creative sector identified a strong and widespread belief in the value of the work of the Society, a desire to see it widen its activity base, and the recognition that a more sustainable working model, with less reliance on volunteers, was required. The key areas of the Society’s work were identified as member support, education and sector support.
The report recommended the continuation of the baseline activity of exhibitions, bursaries, Journal production, and strands of work required to ensure that the Society can function on a day-to-day basis in line with its legal and member obligations. However, it recognised that this may need to be simplified and scaled back to a more sustainable level unless the Society becomes less reliant on volunteer resources.
In terms of development, the report recommends that SGS focuses on these areas: Practitioner Support and Development;Use of Digital Resources; Support for Education; Sector Support, and Organisational Development.
The SGS invites you to find out more andread the full report here. It was researched prior to the global pandemic, so further flexibility may be required when implementing future plans. If you have any comments, please email: sgsvicechair@gmail.com.
Would you like to be an art glass collector?CGS Treasurer Mike Barnes has been collecting art glass for over 20 years, having bought his first piece on a holiday visit to see glass blowing on the island of Murano. Here he talks us through some of the highlights of his collection and offers his tips for starting your own art glass collection. My love of collecting glass started on a tourist visit to Murano in 1998. I had never noticed art glass before this, but was fascinated by the process and by the end result. I bought my first piece of glass then and there: ‘Pair of Fish’, by Zanello Zanetti. After returning home I discovered that there were some local artists in and around Newcastle. I dropped into Jane Charles’ studio and found myself buying two of her pieces, and from there it was all downhill! To date, I have now accumulated over 120 pieces.
‘Pair of Fish’ by Zanello Zanetti. 1998.
At first my collection was very eclectic. I travelled all over Europe and further afield on business, and always found time to pop into the local galleries. I often found myself buying yet another piece.
My approach was all a bit haphazard, so I asked the world authority on contemporary glass, Dan Klein, to visit on his way up to Scotland. I had met him previously in London with his partner, Alan Poole (who remains a friend and an inspiration for knowledge of all things glass). Dan’s advice was invaluable. He recommended that I focus on British glass to give the collection a bit more coherence. So, since then, it’s pretty well all been British (with the occasional divergence and sometimes a broad definition of British, such as an artist living, even briefly, in the UK!).
Do I favour any particular style? Not really. I seem to have collected a disproportionate amount of cast glass, but more by accident than design. I am a bit under-represented in engraved glass, but not deliberately. I do tend to favour young artists who have yet to make their mark.
How do I find the artists? Originally, I found them mainly through galleries but, sadly, we have so few galleries now in the UK. London Glassblowing steadfastly holds the fort! And I should also mention Vessel in London and Terry Brett at Pyramid in York. As I have got more familiar with the glass scene, and also through being associated with the CGS, I have been able to get to know the up-and-coming artists. The CGS’s glass prize for newly-qualified artists is a good source of new talent. Plus, I often go to the artist directly and commission a piece, or see if they have existing pieces for sale.
My favourite younger artists? Probably Harry Morgan (see main feature image, Untitled, 2014) and Laura McKinlay, with Elliot Walker a close second. There is such a depth of talent. Hannah Kippax was really special but, as far as I know, is no longer making, which is a great pity. Anne Petters, Jade Tapson and Davide Penso (honorary British!) are artists to look out for.
‘Absolute Indecision II’ by Hannah Kippax. 2006.
What is my favourite piece? A work by non-British artist – Toots Zynsky, which is a stunning piece that I purchased through the Braggiotti gallery in Amsterdam.
‘Melliflua’ by Toots Zynsky. 2002.
My favourite British artist? I have to say David Reekie. His pieces are beautifully made and great fun and now he works with Morag Reekie, following on in the family business! I also have a beautiful child’s dress in pate de verre, by Alison Lowry.
“Daggers Drawn IV’ by David Reekie. 2015. “Inner Child’ by Alison Lowry. 2017.
Any regrets on purchases? Yes, a few. Tastes change and pieces I bought back in the 1990s I may not buy now, but there is no piece about which I have thought, “Why did I buy that?” once I got it home. (OK, there are a couple). A few need to be retired now.
This prompts me to say that the secondary market for modern studio glass in the UK is virtually non-existent, which makes the collection more of interest and a labour of love rather than an investment as, frankly, I would struggle to sell many of them. Auction houses – yes, a few may be interested. Or a private sale maybe? But there are very few serious UK collectors – maybe half a dozen at most.
I tried to form a collectors’ group (twice) but singularly failed to generate any real interest from more than two or three people. It is a pity I don’t live in the US (at least for glass), where there is such enthusiasm and a thriving market (with prices to match).
Do I have a budget for buying glass pieces? Not really, I just buy them when I see them and like them. I control expenditure by not visiting galleries for a while, as I know I will buy a piece or two if I do!
The biggest problem I have is how to display my collection. I live in a semi-detached house in Newcastle and have no “museum” wing. Thus the glass has to be displayed wherever space can be found (and where my wife allows me to put it!). Now I am running out of room, sadly, and it is so important to display the glass well in the right light. So maybe I should now adopt a “one in, one out” rule? But out to where? It is a real problem, but it probably won’t stop me buying more. It’s a bit of an addiction, to be honest. Still, better than smoking or taking cocaine, I suppose.
About the author
Mike Barnes is passionate about promoting and supporting the British glass scene and is an enthusiastic member of the CGS Board, with the role of Treasurer. He is Clinical Director and Marketing Director of the Christchurch Group, which runs brain injury rehabilitation centres around England. He has been Chief Executive of an NHS Trust (a neurologist by background) and chair of various charities.
If you want a bespoke Christmas gift or an artwork to cheer up your home, check out the Contemporary Glass Society’s latest online selling show, “A” Is For Affordable, which is live on the CGS website now.
The Contemporary Glass Society’s latest online exhibition offers beautiful glass at affordable prices that you can buy direct from the maker. All work is priced between £50 and £500 and includes a huge variety of colours, styles and techniques. Whether you want bowls, sculptures, vessels, wall art, plaques or garden features, there is sure to be something to suit you.
This show has been especially commissioned by CGS to help support artists through the COVID pandemic. Many of our members have been locked out of their studios, seen events and exhibitions cancelled and have been unable to run workshops or sell their work. Many also live and work in isolation. So please take a look at our inspired, unique glass work and support creative people!
The Private View will be held on Friday 6 November 2020 via Zoom from 7-7.30pm. Click this link at 7pm on that day and use the Passcode 363880 to join us. In the luxury of your own home, bring a glass of wine and join the CGS Board to launch this first new show on our wonderful new website.
The show runs until 8 January 2021. Click here to browse and shop.
The new editor of the Glass Network print magazine, Kirsteen Aubrey, provides a sneak peek into some of the highlights coming up in her first edition, which will be posted out to CGS members shortly. If you are not a member yet, why not sign up now to ensure you receive future issues?
This year we have experienced many changes, not least those of Covid and the lockdown. We are constantly adapting to new situations and encountering unfamiliar scenarios that have encouraged us to pause, think and reflect.
It has been a transitional time for many, not least the makers, artists and practitioners working in glass. As a community, we continue to adapt and the CGS has used this period well. The CGS has provided a virtual, creative hub through its Wednesday talks, where we celebrate and gain insight into glass practice and share current experiences.
The CGS has also created this new online magazine section, Glass Network digital, led by Linda Banks, and the bi-annual Glass Network print publication that I edit. Both are new, exciting ventures for 2020. Neither could have happened without the guidance of Milly Francis, who ably edited Glass Network for many years. Linda and I are grateful for her support as we embark on our new roles.
Linda’s digital platform draws together her experience in stained glass alongside that as journalist and editor. She explains, “We decided to introduce the online magazine, Glass Network digital, to provide a vibrant and up-to-date means of quickly communicating exciting developments in the glass world to our members, the wider art community and the general public around the globe. The aim is the share a love of contemporary glass with readers, through regular interview pieces with established and up-and-coming glass artists, articles to help creatives do business better, tips on tools and techniques, as well as the latest news and opportunities.”
Each month, CGS members receive an email roundup with links to the most recent digital magazine content, reinforcing the sense of community that is so important to us all in these changing times. Do get in touch via linda@wordbanks.uk if you have news or article ideas (please supply a landscape photo in high resolution too), or if you want information about advertising.
Backed by my glass experience from working in studios and teaching, my objective is to create a thematic Glass Network that showcases and promotes glass widely. Each publication has a central theme, and this November edition focuses on ‘Inspiration’. It is particularly poignant to reflect on what inspires glass artists at this time; many glass studios have had to temporarily pause their work, and artists have reflected on what motivates them to keep creating. This publication is a celebration of this inspiration. Using a central theme for each publication allows us to explore narratives that unite glass artists, enthusiasts, gallery owners, and collectors. We investigate the theme across stained glass, lamp work, kiln glass and glassblowing, using these to open dialogue, question the boundaries of material and process, and to extend the potential of glass as a creative medium.
This issue, number 77, offers insights into the inspiration of landscape, light, process, sound, illusion and conversation. Kate Jones, one half of Gillies Jones Glass, reveals the power of the North Yorkshire Moors. Her studies and exploration of landscape, line and light inform the carved, contemporary glass that is masterfully blown by her partner Stephen Gillies. Landscape also inspires Helen Slater-Stokes, and she uses it to create glasswork that questions illusion and perception. Meanwhile, Bruno Romanelli discusses the role of light to stimulate ideas, exploring this through the process of lost wax casting.
Harriet Shooter-Redfearn and Vanessa Cutler address the role of handwriting to inspire their glass in two contrasting ways. Harriet’s archaeological investigations uncover hidden signatures and reveal personal narratives that inform her mixed media outcomes. Meanwhile, Vanessa shares how handwritten communications led to an exploration of analogue and digital processes, and the creation of interactive glasswork that captures thoughts, conversations and reflections.
Handwritten signature at London Road Fire Station, 2017. Artist: Harriet Shooter-Redfearn. Photo: Harriet Shooter-Redfearn
Also highlighted is the inspiration that enabled Jessamy Kelly and Jahday Ford to respond positively during the lockdown, especially when glass production was temporarily paused. Jessamy explores the opportunities presented by recycling and re-purposing glass, while Jahday explains how he re-evaluated a glass residency without access to a workshop. Engaging with new platforms, both have found new ways to engage with, and communicate, their practice. Their uplifting stories remind us to be adaptable and create daily.
Collectively, these features demonstrate the diverse inspiration that drives glass practice, and a determination and resilience to continue creating, despite current challenges.
The next print edition of Glass Network, number 78, will focus on ‘Collaboration’, exploring the nature of collaborative practice between makers and across skills, and the collaborations that exist between artists, galleries, museums and collectors. A call out will be made soon to invite people to share their collaborations and glass outcomes.
Main feature image: Chitter Chatter by Vanessa Cutler. Photo: Simon Bruntnell.
About the author
Kirsteen Aubrey is the editor of the CGS Glass Network magazine print edition. She is a glass maker and educator, based in Manchester. She regularly engages in collaborations with fellow practitioners across textiles, photography and graphics, using her hot glass specialism to explore the innovative agency of glass. Contact her via: editor@cgs.org.uk
The fascinating painted glass of the 18th century, and the transitional period from the Regency into the early Victorian Era, will be the subject of a webinar presentation by Steve Clare, the chairman of the Conservation Working Group of The British Society of Master Glass Painters, in November 2020.
Steve Clare has unrivalled experience in the conservation of glass of this period. In his talk, entitled ‘The Magic Lantern’, he will discuss the techniques and methods of important figures, such as Peckitt, James Pearson, Francis Eginton, and Joseph Hale Miller, accompanied by images taken during live conservation projects.
Steve Clare ACR, FMGP is a conservator in private practice, national stained glass advisor to the National Trust, and Consultant to the cathedrals at Wells, Gloucester and Winchester, King’s College Chapel, Cambridge and St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle. He established Holy Well Glass in 1995.
While BSMGP lectures are normally held in person, during the COVID-19 restrictions, they will take place online using Zoom, for the reduced fee of £5.00 (£4.25 members). To book for this second in the series of BSMGP webinar presentations, taking place on Friday 27 November 2020 at 7pm, click here.
Image: The East Window, St Alkmund, Shrewsbury. Photo by Holy Well Glass.
Rebecca Matthews, former CEO of the European Capital of Culture Aarhus 2017, has been appointed as the new Director of the Danish museum for contemporary, international glass art, Glasmuseet Ebeltoft, from 2021.
Glasmuseet Ebeltoft is a private, self-financing institution established and directed by the Foundation for the Collection of Contemporary, International Glass Art. It presents the best in contemporary, international glass art through an ambitious exhibition programme and has a unique collection of glass art from around the world, as well as a professionally-run glassblowing studio on site.
Prior to this role, Rebecca spent five years as Director of the European Capital of Culture Aarhus 2017 and two years as Director of the international educational charity, Goodenough College in London.
She comments, “I am very much looking forward to being part of Glasmuseet Ebeltoft, a museum which unites the best of Danish and international glass art. Glasmuseet Ebeltoft has a unique international reputation, and I look forward to using my national and international networks to strengthen its continued development across the country and globally.
“Glass is a fascinating and exciting art form, a material that can be formed in a variety of ways and expressions, and one that audiences find captivating to watch. Glass has a long and remarkable history and, as a museum, we aim to convey this in a modern context.
“Ebeltoft has a number of strong cultural institutions, such as Maltfabrikken, Fregatten Jylland, The European Film College and Glasmuseet Ebeltoft as well as an international frontrunner in Kvadrat, and I look forward hugely to collaborating with these institutions and many more.”
Welcoming Rebecca to the museum, Chairman of the Museum Foundation’s Board, Henning Kovsted, said, “The Museum has an ambitious strategic plan for the next five years, and I am confident that Rebecca will use her great professionalism, credibility, infectious energy and a wealth of ideas to pave the way and take the Museum securely into the future.”
Rebecca holds an MA in History of Art from the Courtauld Institute of Art, London University, and an MA in Modern and Medieval Languages from Cambridge University.
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