Each year, the US-based Museum of Glass (MOG) invites artists to apply for a Visiting Artist Residency in the hot shop. This week-long experience is for artists to explore new techniques or continue a current series.
Selected artists have full use of the Museum’s state-of-the-art hot shop and the assistance of its hot shop team.
Applications will be selected to support a wide variety of project scopes, including one project that draws connections between science and art, which will be awarded the Sheldon Levin Memorial Visiting Artist Residency.
Residencies are open to artists from all artistic media. Artists are responsible for travel to and from the MOG, located in Tacoma, Washington, as well as accommodation, colour and special order materials.
Contemporary glass master Allister Malcolm has been awarded the Freedom of the City of London – joining such notable names and Nelson Mandela, Margaret Thatcher and Sir Michael Caine, who have received this honour in the past.
On 9 July 2024, he went to the Guildhall in London to receive the award at a Freedom Ceremony. Already a Freeman of the Worshipful Company of Glass Sellers of London, Allister was presented in the traditional way through this Livery Company. In attendance were the Worshipful Company of Glass Sellers’ Master David Wilkinson, Past Master Barbara Beadman and the Clerk Paul Wenham.
Speaking about the experience, Allister said, “It was a really enjoyable day; I feel very privileged to be welcomed and part of something with such a deep history.”
While nowadays most of the practical reasons for obtaining the Freedom of the City have disappeared (such as the right to drive sheep over London Bridge and to carry a naked sword in public), it remains a unique part of London’s history.
The medieval term ‘freeman’ meant someone who was not the property of a feudal lord but enjoyed privileges such as the right to earn money and own land. Town dwellers who were protected by the charter of their town or city were often free – hence the term ‘freedom’ of the City.
From the Middle Ages and the Victorian era, the Freedom was the right to trade, enabling members of a Guild or Livery to carry out their trade or craft in London’s Square Mile. A fee or fine would be charged and, in return, the Livery Companies would ensure that the goods and services provided were of the highest standards. In 1835, the Freedom was widened to incorporate not just members of Livery Companies but also people living or working in the City or those with a strong London connection.
Image: (left to right) The Worshipful Company of Glass Sellers’ Master David Wilkinson, Past Master Barbara Beadman, Allister Malcolm and the Clerk Paul Wenham.
Glass artist Chris Day has created a blown glass and mixed media modular installation for Liverpool’s Walker Art Gallery, which provides a powerful message about the city’s historic involvement with the slave trade.
Presented by the Contemporary Art Society through the Griffin Award, which supports the annual acquisition of an important work in a craft medium, ‘Now you see me’ will be displayed alongside the painting that inspired it – ‘The Card Party’ by Gawen Hamilton (1698-1737).
Day saw the 18th-century painting at the Walker, in which a small, black servant is hidden in the painting. His new work sheds light on this child’s story and the experiences of others who have been silenced.
Seeing themselves in the quasi-reflective glass, viewers observe an image that is present, but not quite there, mirroring the essence of the boy. The glass pieces are encased in a series of wooden boxes made of recycled pallet wood. The transformation of the wood into artwork mirrors Day’s own journey from plumber to artist, serving as a reminder that, with dedication and opportunities, one has the power to redefine paths and perceptions. While ‘Now you see me’ centres around the representation of a black boy, Day hopes that the work will resonate with a wider audience, reflecting broader themes and narratives.
Through his often-personal works, Day explores his own identity as a mixed-race man. His research into his ancestry has led him to expose the stories of the transatlantic slave trade and its legacies in his art. Day’s primary purpose is to engage the audience on difficult issues, using art to overcome the traumas that haunt our collective past. The beauty of his work invites closer inspection, creating a striking contrast with his powerful message.
Day rediscovered his passion for art after working as a heating engineer for 20 years. He graduated from Wolverhampton University in 2021 with an MA in Design and Applied Art, where he studied ceramics and glass. His former trade informs his artistic practice and he incorporates found materials from the heating industry into his work.
Commenting on the new installation, Day said, “My passion lies in making work that sparks reflection on the transatlantic slave trade. I am delighted to have the chance to create a commission that will start a conversation in Liverpool, so deeply rooted in that trade.
“I am proud that my work will be part of the Walker’s collections and I’m eager to see the reactions and discussions it may provoke.”
Nicola Scott, Curator of Decorative Art at National Museums Liverpool, added, “I am delighted that Chris Day has created this new commission for the Walker, presented by the Contemporary Art Society through the Griffin Award. It is an exciting opportunity to acquire an artwork by one of the UK’s leading glass makers.”
‘Now you see me’ opens on 6 August 2024 and runs until 24 November 2024. Admission is free, with donations welcome.
Whether you’re an artist keen to access The Studio’s expanded collection of equipment and facilities or a scholar delving into the history of glassmaking, the US-based Corning Museum of Glass has a range of residencies available for 2025. Applications must be submitted by the end of August or beginning of September, depending on residency.
Corning’s Studio’s artist-in-residence programme invites artists to engage in practice-based glassmaking, to explore new directions in the material or expand their current practice. It provides housing, a meal stipend, transport to and from Corning, New York, and a residency manager to act as liaison to additional services in Corning and at the Museum. Residencies last five weeks or six-to-eight weeks.
Residents have access to the Museum’s unparalleled resources, including a comprehensive collection of over 50,000 glass objects, the world’s foremost research library on glass, and one of the most extensively equipped glassmaking facilities in the world, including the new neon shop and digital fabrication room. Find out more and apply here by 31 August 2024.
The Black, Indigenous and People of Colour (BIPOC) Residency is an extension of The Studio artist-in-residence programme. It aims to assist underrepresented artists while actively fostering a culture and community of inclusion that promotes, respects, and celebrates diversity. Find out more and apply here by 31 August 2024.
The David Whitehouse Research Residency for Artists allows artists from all disciplines to participate in scholarly research to further inform their practice in glass. Up to three weeks can be spent exploring the extensive collections of the Rakow Research Library and the Museum with assistance from staff. This is not a “making” residency. Find out more and apply here by 31 August 2024.
The David Whitehouse Research Residency for Scholars provides scholars with up to three weeks to explore the collection of the Rakow Research Library and connect with expert Museum staff. This residency creates opportunities to advance glass knowledge or make progress on a developing project. Find out more and apply here by 3 September 2024.
Read about the 2024 Corning artists-in-residence here.
Corning Museum of Glass is at One Museum Way, Corning, NY 14830, USA. Website: https://home.cmog.org
Irish glass artist Fiona Byrne describes her experience as the first artist in residence at Farnham World Craft Town in Surrey, UK. From a studio at Farnham Maltings and with access to the glassmaking facilities at UCA Farnham, she had a month to research and create an artwork for the town.
Earlier in 2024 I was honoured to be the inaugural Farnham World Craft Town Artist in Residence, funded by the Farnham South Street Trust and managed by Farnham Town Council. The experience was pivotal for me in my artistic practice and will have long-lasting effects on how I make.
I work through sculptural and visual mediums to explore how we create and store knowledge. Delving into the idea of intelligence as an ecosystem that encompasses human and more-than-human nature, this thinking expands intelligence not just to plants and creatures, but also to materials and things. Informed by feminist theory, my work encourages relational and empathic ways of interacting with the world.
Fiona Byrne was able to use the hot shop facilities at UCA Farnham to create her work. Photo: Seamus Flanagan.
This relational approach is reflected in the ethos of The World Crafts Council’s ‘World Craft City Programme’, which was launched in 2014 in recognition of the pivotal roles played by local authorities, craftspeople and communities in cultural, economic and social development worldwide. It establishes a dynamic network of craft cities across the globe, aligning with the principles of the creative economy. Farnham is England’s first World Craft Town.
The residency was well organised by the Farnham Town Council team – particularly Pippa Hufton, who was my liaison for the programme. Prior to the placement, we agreed the scope of the activities and what materials, facilities and contacts I would need for the month-long opportunity. A month is not long to get to know a new place and create an artwork to leave behind, but I decided I would use this tight time frame to structure the residency.
Education and outreach have always been a big part of what I do, having worked in museums, galleries, universities and government bodies over the years, facilitating experiences with other people’s art practices. I wanted to bring my expertise in this area into my artwork in a more embedded way. This was the perfect opportunity to design a self-contained engagement, which responded to the town and its people.
On arriving in Farnham, I was really touched by the welcome I received, along with a warm reception from the Mayor. I was put in contact with many local creatives, given places to visit, set up with a display at the New Ashgate Gallery and brought on a tour of the Farnham Pottery. But it wasn’t all socialising! Once I was settled into my studio at the Farnham Maltings and inducted into the excellent facilities at UCA Farnham, I began to test ideas.
Workshop participants used tools made from materials like twigs, masking tape, rocks and moss to draw with ink on sheets of paper. Photo: Seamus Flanagan.
At the start of week two I facilitated a workshop. This would form the basis of the work I was to make at Farnham. The workshop involved a group of local makers. We considered the ecosystem of making, discussing how materials, tools, space and people come together to form collective intelligence. By creating tools from materials we gathered from the area, learning to use these tools and sharing this knowledge within the group, a co-operative series of sketches in clay and paper was produced.
Local makers in the workshop made marks on clay tiles as part of the collaborative project. Photo: Seamus Flanagan.
These formed the basis of a series of experiments in the workshops, where I was creating pieces that could be assembled into final works. The process was fast and, to be honest, a little exhausting and scary. I knew how I wanted to create, but not what the result would be.
Fiona Byrne stands on a step blowing down a glassblowing pipe, pushing molten glass into a plaster mould held by artists Aria Kiani and Laura Quinn. Photo: Seamus Flanagan.
Translating the marks made on clay into glass, both directly, by blowing it molten into the clay, and indirectly, by making plaster moulds of the clay, I explored the visual language we had created in the workshop. Playing with scale, dimension and materials, the forms created reference Farnham’s cultural heritage, drawing inspiration from vernacular architecture, museum artefacts and the area’s industrial history of ceramics.
What exactly the pieces would be was unknown right up to the last night, when all the elements were brought together:thrown ceramic, blown glass, cold-worked pieces, cast glass, glazed tiles, drawings and tools from the workshop. For years I have been telling people in my classes to trust the process, but now I felt I was really pushing that trust.
A display of the tools made with sticks, rocks, twigs and elastic bands, along with the ceramic tiles. Photo: Seamus Flanagan.
The day of the open studio, when I revealed the work, was nerve-wracking as I wasn’t sure how the collaborating makers would respond to how I had interpreted their input, or how the team from Farnham Craft Town would react to this new sculpture, which was very different to my previous work. But, for me, that was the joy – doing something completely new that I would never have made if I had not been in that place with the people I encountered. The work is a tangible representation of our collective knowledge and experience.
A selection of the tools used to make the abstract ink drawings shown in the background. Photo: Seamus Flanagan.
During the residency I exchanged skills with local makers, as well as the staff and students at UCA Farnham, trying out new techniques and experimenting to push my skills further. There were successes and losses in the process, yet all these learning experiences formed part of the thinking around the formation of the work.
Fiona Byrne shaping hot glass, assisted by Aria Kiani in the UCA Farnham hot shop. Photo: Seamus Flanagan.
I titled the series ‘Things we can know’. The structure of ‘Things we can know’ means its final form is flexible; it is able to adapt and respond to its environment. It allows room for future curatorial choice and a re-formation of the presentation of the elements, enabling the works to absorb more collective knowledge as they continue to interact with the world.
I had enormous support during the residency, from the wonderful Teague family, who housed and fed me, to the expert professional assistance of UCA’s artists in residence Áine Ryan and Aria Kiani, to the staff across the Maltings, Farnham Town Council, UCA, the New Ashgate, the Craft Study Centre, Farnham Pottery, Pierrepont Farm and Farnham Museum. There are too many people to name here, but I am grateful to you all and my practice is richer for having learned from you.
I would highly recommend this experience to anyone thinking of applying to the programme. Applications for next year’s residency are open between June and August 2024 and will take place in Spring 2025. Find out more and apply here.
By Fiona Byrne
Read this video interview with Fiona, recorded by Seamus Flanagan.
Find out more about Fiona and her work via her website and follow her on Instagram.
Main feature image: Detail of glass bowl forms containing a snail shell and a cast glass snail shell set on a marked clay tile, made as part of ‘Things we can know’. Photo: Seamus Flanagan.
This August, London Glassblowing will present the exhibition ‘Glass Heaven’, bringing together the talents of two renowned glass artists from different eras: Peter Layton and Tim Rawlinson.
For decades, Peter Layton has captivated audiences with his bold, expressive and painterly glass works. A celebrated veteran in the glass world, his unwavering commitment to the medium has seen his practice evolve over the past 50 years. Since the studio’s humble beginnings on the banks of the Thames nearly half a century ago, Peter has played a pivotal role in nurturing the next generation of talent.
Peter Layton’s ‘Aurora’ pieces are inspired by the beauty of the Northern Lights.
Tim Rawlinson brings a fresh and innovative approach, challenges conventional boundaries and offers a refreshing perspective that resonates with the ever-evolving landscape of glass art. His vibrant colourways and illusive compositions are a testament to the exceptional creativity that London Glassblowing continues to foster.
Tim Rawlinson’s work reflects the innovation of the younger generation of glassblowers.
The exhibition title, ‘Glass Heaven’, inspired both artists to look skyward for their creative inspirations. Peter has reimagined many iconic series, including his ‘Burano’ collection. His newly developed ‘Aurora’ pieces evoke the beauty of the Northern Lights, while Tim has introduced a more milky, cloud-like finish to his signature ‘Echoes of Light’ pieces.
Glass Heaven is on show from 2 August to 1 September 2024 at London Glassblowing, 62-66 Bermondsey Street, London SE1 3UD. Website
Main image: Peter Layton (left) and Tim Rawlinson have responded to the Glass Heaven theme in their glass art for this exhibition.
Alongside the many activities and exhibitions taking place during the 2024 International Festival of Glass event in Stourbridge this summer, the Contemporary Glass Society (CGS) has its own programme of events. Check them out below.
Friday 23 August
Venue: Ruskin Glass Centre, The Glasshouse, Wollaston Road, Amblecote, Stourbridge, West Midlands, DY8 4HF
2pm CGS AGM (Contact admin@cgs.org.uk for more details). Come and share your thoughts about the future of the organisation.
3pm Chit Chat. Ten CGS members show images and talk about their work for 3 minutes each.
5pm ‘Thanks for The Memory’ glass postcard exhibition launch and sale. Bring your credit card!
12 noon CGS Raffle Draw. Find out who has won some unique glass prizes and helped to raise funds for future CGS projects. If you want to buy tickets, please email Pam via admin@cgs.org.uk
Read the International Festival of Glass full programme here.
The Architectural Glass Centre at Swansea College of Art is offering two specialist glass painting masterclasses with stained glass expert Jonathan Cooke in September 2024.
The masterclasses are suitable for both beginners and those with previous experience of glass painting. Jonathan will demonstrate and teach his techniques, as well as discussing materials, tools and firing schedules.
On the glass painting masterclass there will be ample time for participants to practise, produce samples and create finished pieces to their own designs.
An additional masterclass is available, focusing on the use of enamel and silver stains. This will feature an exploration of materials and techniques for use principally in traditional glass painting, using a range of stains, transparent and opaque enamels. It will explore a range of media and mixing techniques, plus application and firing regimes to achieve different effects and outcomes.
The glass painting masterclass takes place from 16-19 September 2024 (price £310) and the silver stain and enamel masterclass takes place on 20-22 September 2024 (price £330).
Both masterclasses will be held at UWTSD Swansea College of Art, Alex Building, Alexandra Road, Swansea SA1 5DX, Wales.
Once again, the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust (QEST) has opened for applications for its grant funding of up to £18,000 for UK makers.
Talented and aspiring craftspeople who want to take their craft to the next level can apply for up to £18,000 in funding for Scholarships, up to £10,000 for Emerging Maker Grants and up to £12,000 for Apprenticeship training.
Many glass artists have benefited from this support over the years, which goes beyond money, often providing opportunities to exhibit in prestigious locations, as well as take part in collaborations and receive commissions through its extensive craft network.
Applications close on Monday 12 August 2024 at 5pm.
The QEST charity has awarded more than £6m to almost 800 individuals working across the UK in 130 different craft disciplines.
There are three optional ‘How To Apply’ Zoom sessions to introduce interested makers to the different funding available, providing tips and advice for filling in an application and the opportunity for a Q&A:
Bookings are now open for a variety of events and workshops to be held during the International Festival of Glass in Stourbridge, West Midlands, from 23-26 August 2024.
Ruskin’s Seven Lamps: An Evening Spectacular
Previewing the Saturday night entertainment plan, Festival Director Janine Christley, said, “Walk the Plank thrilled us at the first ever festival back in 2004, so what better way to end our time at the Ruskin Glass Centre than to invite them back to create a fantastic Saturday night spectacle? Experts in outdoor celebration, for this event Walk the Plank have taken inspiration from Ruskin’s Seven Lamps to create an evening of music and fire.”
The centrepiece of the event will be a huge fire sculpture by artist Felix Rowberry, called ‘In the Balance’. Its globes of flame depict elements of today’s world as seen by children and young people.
There will be live music from the Boat Band to open the evening, with musician in residence, James Watts, collaborating with Brendan Murphy and his glass instruments on the closing music.
There is wide and varied programme of workshops, celebrating all that has been great about the Festival over the last 20 years, all that is being achieved in the glass world currently and looking forward to the future. There are workshops suitable for artists and families alike.
In addition to learning about glassmaking techniques, participants can try their hand at papermaking, weaving, felting and calligraphy.
Thanks to Arts Council England funding, the 2024 Festival features a number of accessible events and workshops for Disabled/d/Deaf artists and visitors.
There are two free workshops with artist Julie Coakley for the blind and visually impaired. Julie will offer a workshop in three-dimensional drawing with glass and another in working in monochrome. Julie lost her sight at age 42, and so developed new methods of working to allow her to continue to work in kiln-formed glass.
On Friday and Sunday there are opportunities to explore the Festival with deaf artist Olivier Jamin. Olivier will introduce the exhibitions and activities and give translations explaining different glass terminology. He will be accompanied by a British Sign Language (BSL) interpreter so hearing people can join the tour.
In addition, BSL interpreters will be available each day. Advanced booking is advised.
Festival partners’ activities
Stourbridge Glass Museum is embracing the Festival’s ‘Past, Present, Future’ theme with talks on Saturday and Sunday. Graham Fisher MBE will look at the past, discussing the decline of crystal factories and the emergence of studio glass; Terri L Colledge brings the audience to the present with a talk about the Naples blue vase project and contemporary cameo glass; finally Allister Malcolm looks to the future with sustainable electric studio glassmaking.
Riverside House will be holding a number of free workshops throughout the Festival weekend, offering the chance to try out glassmaking techniques. The popular Mango Mosaics workshops will return on Saturday and Sunday, followed by wire and fused glass workshops with Terri Malcolm on Monday. These free workshops must be booked in advance as places are limited.
The Contemporary Glass Society (CGS) and Stourbridge Glass Museum are working together to curate the ‘New Horizons’ exhibition, featuring new and recent work by over 20 talented CGS members.
Main image: Pan Gottic entertaining festival visitors at the last event in 2022.
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.
