New or early-career makers who need financial assistance to help develop their skills are invited to apply for Heritage Crafts training bursaries of up to £4,000 each. The money is for any craft that has been practised in the UK for two or more generations.
For many, affording the costs of training (whether formal courses or on a one-to-one basis with a maker) is challenging. With the numbers of apprenticeships dwindling, or people choosing to come into a craft later in life, Heritage Crafts wants to give opportunities to those who might otherwise be lost to the heritage crafts sector at a key moment in their early career.
In all, 27 training bursaries are available. Of these, two will be allocated to Black and ethnically diverse trainees, six to British military veterans, five to trainees who intend to work in Scotland and Wales, plus three to rural crafts, decorative crafts and endangered crafts. The remaining 11 will be allocated depending on individual needs. Applicants will automatically be considered for the general funding pot, as well as all the categories that apply to them.
Applicants are encouraged to apply for the full £4,000 to maximise the impact the bursary will have to develop their hand-skills in their chosen craft.
Heritage Crafts assessors are not necessarily looking for wonderfully crafted applications. Applicants should explain the challenges they face in accessing training and outline how the bursary could help overcome these issues.
Applicants can apply for more than one course/training opportunity. The training can take place from September 2024 and run over the course of a year to demonstrate the learning and impact of the skills. For example, an awardee could do a formal course, take the learning away to practise, then a few months later book a one-to-one session with a master to further refine skills.
In collaboration with The Worshipful Company of Glass Sellers and Stourbridge Glass Museum, glass artist Allister Malcolm is inviting primary-aged children in Key Stages 1 and 2 (including home-schooled children) to participate in a free doodle competition.
The idea is to create a doodle of their favourite endangered creature, with the winning design being transformed into a stunning glass artwork by Allister and his team.
There will be a live event where the winner can watch the creation of the winning design in glass on Monday 26 August 2024 at the International Festival of Glass in Stourbridge.
In addition, the winning entry and runner-up artworks will be displayed at the Stourbridge Glass Museum, West Midlands, before the winning piece is given to the child’s school for display.
This opportunity has been made possible through the support of The Worshipful Company of Glass Sellers. It is a fantastic way for students to learn about wildlife conservation while showcasing their artistic talents!
How to enter:
Paper Size: A4 (portrait or landscape)
Materials: Any non-digital medium (pencils, crayons, markers, paints, etc)
Labelling: Include student’s name, age, school and class on the back. Attach a title and a short description of the doodle.
Submission: Ensure doodles are flat-packed to prevent damage.
Deadline: All entries must be received by 5pm on 19 July 2024.
Post entries to: Stourbridge Glass Museum, Stuart Works, High Street, Wordsley, DY8 4FB.
Glass artists from around the world are invited to apply for the fifth edition of the International Biennale of Glass (IBG) 2025, held in Bulgaria.
The show will take place from 18 September to 30 November 2025 at the National Gallery Kvadrat 500 in Sofia.
There is no age limit and applications are invited from artists at all stages of their careers. However, priority will be given to new artists and those who have not participated in previous IBG events. Pieces must be either glass or glass-dominant mixed media made between 2022 and 2024.
An international jury of art professionals will review the submissions.
There is an application processing fee of $15 and accepted artists are responsible for professional packing, shipping and insurance.
The deadline to apply is 30 July 2024 and those selected will be notified by email by 10 October 2024.
The application form is available here (including a link to the terms and conditions).
Glass artist James Cockerill loves experimenting with traditional methods and the latest printmaking techniques to create his distinctive artworks. Linda Banks finds out more.
You are known for your glass printing techniques. What led you to start working with glass?
My fascination with glass began during my Fine Arts studies. I was captivated by its ability to capture and transform light, creating dynamic interactions with my images. The challenge of combining traditional glass techniques with modern printmaking innovations intrigued me and led to the founding of HALTglass.
‘Lost Control’ comprises plated float glass that has been transparent enamel printed on four sides.
What other glass techniques have you used, and which do you prefer?
Over the years, I’ve experimented with hand painting, sandblasting, leaded glass, mouth-blown glass bonding and silver staining. Each technique has its unique qualities, but I particularly enjoy screen printing. It allows me to integrate photographic and graphic elements into glass, pushing the boundaries and going places creatively which would not be possible with hand painting.
This highly detailed ‘Volcano’ is made from sandblasted and silver stained flash glass.
What is your creative approach? Do you draw your ideas out or dive straight in with the materials?
My creative process often begins with a subject that interests me and holds meaning. I then turn to the various techniques I’ve learnt to explore that subject. I particularly enjoy experimenting with no fixed goal and seeing what unfolds on the light table. I am led by the results of my experimentation.
This piece is created from bonded, waterjet-cut Lamberts glass on printed float glass.
You recently created an installation in a former shop that holds fond memories for you. Please tell us more about that project.
The installation, ‘Corner Shop’, was a tribute to a local shop that had been a fixture in the community for decades. I photographed the shop and its owner over many years. After the shop closed, I screen-printed these images using blue transparent enamel, which allowed the internal light to diffuse through the prints, creating a ghostly, memory-laden effect. It was a way to commemorate the shop and explore how we share memories, even though every person’s recollections are different. Here is a video about it.
Detail from ‘The Corner Shop’, made using transparent blue enamel on float glass.
What message(s) do you want to convey through your art?
My work often explores themes of memory, time and human interaction with our environments. I aim to provoke reflection on our personal and shared histories, highlighting the transient nature of life and the lasting impact of our actions on our world.
What is your favourite tool or piece of equipment and why?
It has to be my silk screens. I can endlessly recycle them to produce complex, varied, and unlimited results on glass.
‘William’ elevates greenhouse glass with silver stain.
Do you have a favourite piece you have made? Why is it your favourite?
‘At This Moment’ is a very personal piece, which marks a time when I consciously departed from making work for, and to please, others. I created something purely for myself.
Many techniques have been used to create ‘At this Moment’, including sandblasting, hand painting, bonding, leading and screen-printed antique glass.
Where do you show and sell your work?
I exhibit my work in galleries across the UK and internationally. I currently have a solo exhibition at the Stained Glass Museum in Ely, Cambridge, which runs until the end of September 2024, and my work is for sale in their shop. I maintain a web store, linked to my social media accounts, which drives sales. I also enjoy helping other artists realise their artworks using my techniques in my one-to-one studio sessions.
You share your knowledge through teaching classes. What advice would you give to someone starting out on a career in glass?
My advice would be to embrace experimentation and not fear failure. Glass is a challenging medium, but it rewards persistence and innovation. Learn the traditional techniques thoroughly, but don’t be afraid to incorporate new technologies and your personal artistic vision. Form a group of fellow glass artists and seek out mentors.
This untitled image featured plated float glass, printed on two sides with transparent enamel.
Do you have a career highlight?
Winning the Stevens Architectural Glass Artist of the Year Award in 2019 was a significant milestone. It not only boosted my confidence, but also opened new opportunities for large-scale projects and collaborations.
This is the untitled sample panel made for the Stevens competition. It comprises silk-screened antique glass.
Where is your glass practice heading next?
I am interested in exploring more large-scale, site-specific installations that engage with their environments and communities. I’m also keen to experiment further with integrating digital technologies into traditional glass techniques. Currently, I’m loving sandblasting flash glass using photo resist and experimenting with many different types of silver stain.
And finally…
Everyone who makes art is an artist, period. I’ve found that making work about what excites me is the best way forward, as that passion will show itself within the work. I try to do my best and let go of the results because being influenced by what other people think is often not useful. I’m grateful for the opportunity to share my work and my journey, and I look forward to continuing to push the boundaries of what’s possible with glass and print by experimenting and seeking out what excites me.
James Cockerill installing ‘Reflections’ at The Stone Space gallery in Leytonstone, East London.
Find out more about James Cockerill and his work via the website.
Main feature image: Detail of James Cockerill’s ‘Future Ghosts’, made using plated Lamberts flashed glass. All images by the artist.
‘Shields’ and ‘Circles’ stained glass works by Surinder Warboys are on show as part of a group exhibition at Sandlings Sculpture Garden at Potton Hall in Suffolk, UK.
This exhibition presents a range of sculptures and installations made by members of Waveney and Blyth Arts, which are placed in the grounds for three months – from 20 June until 22 September 2024. Pieces are made from a variety of materials, including glass, marble, bronze, steel, clay and galvanised wire, and they are for sale.
Surinder explains the thinking behind her artworks: “The circle and shield forms have been integral to the physical, cultural and spiritual lives of humans since time immemorial.
“I have always enjoyed the magical realism of writers past and present. The precious and powerful presence of trees is woven into a woodland setting of the Arthurian legend: a ‘tree hung with a multitude of shields’ of vanquished knights and sunlight through the leaves forming ‘trembling circles as of pure yellow gold’.
“As an artist, I feel frustrated at the lip service paid by politicians in power to make the urgent and brave changes needed to reduce climate warming. Stained glass, being an environmental art, can be enjoyed on so many different levels and has been a powerful medium of communication for centuries. Employed here in the grove, the glass shields and circles make defensive connections with the trees and ecological cycles as the earth spins and orbits the sun.”
Potton Hall and the Sculpture Garden are open daily 10am-4pm and the sculpture garden is free to visit.
Sandlings Sculpture Garden is at Potton Hall, Blythburgh Rd, Saxmundham IP17 3EF, UK. For further information about Potton Hall visit the website.
For further information about Surinder’s work, visit her website.
Stained glass artist and creative director at Barley Studio in York, Helen Whittaker MA FMGP, has been awarded an MBE in HM the King’s Birthday Honours List. She receives the award for ‘services to the creation and conservation of stained and architectural glass art’.
Helen commented, “To have the opportunity to do something you love, protecting the past and creating a future, is a joy in itself. To receive this MBE from King Charles, a great advocate for traditional art and craft skills throughout the UK, is truly an honour. I am grateful to all of the people who have put me forward for this award and to the wonderful team at Barley Studio for their support over the past 25 years.”
Each academic year the craft programme at the University for the Creative Arts (UCA), Farnham, Surrey, UK, hosts an Artist in Residence (AiR) initiative. Two AiR places are available in the glass department for the 2024-25 academic year.
The residency position offers the time, space and facilities for artists to develop their making practice or realise a specific project. The successful applicants will have access to UCA’s specialist glass workshops and facilities for the duration of the residency, free of charge. In exchange, they will be expected to support curriculum delivery on UCA’s undergraduate and postgraduate courses. This may include, but is not limited to, technical workshops, masterclasses, tutorials and professional skills. UCA would also expect AiR to contribute to the university’s wider craft community by engaging with students, sharing knowledge and skills and supporting staff teams where necessary.
The position is an opportunity for AiR to develop their own work and technical skills in a creative, higher education environment, without the constraints of set course work or timetable.
This opportunity is open to early- and mid-career artists, who are expected to hold degree-level qualifications or have relevant professional experience with glass.
The AiR programme runs from mid-September 2024 to the end of August 2025. The duration and start dates of residencies can be negotiated, based on availability.
Workshop access is between 10.00am-5:00pm, Monday-Friday, with occasional Saturday access on university open days. Artists are expected to attend for a minimum of three days per week, for the full duration of their residency programme.
Deadline for applications: Friday 19 July 2024.
Further details of the facilities available and a link to the application form are available here.
UCA Farnham is at Falkner Road, Farnham, Surrey GU9 7DS, UK.
Image: One of UCA’s 2023-2024 AiR, Aria Kiani, working in the university’s hotshop. The photo is a collaboration between Aria and photographer Theo Leonowicz.
The Glass Department of Gerrit Rietveld Academie in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, invites delegates to register for its ‘New Energy’ glass symposium.
Featuring two days of ‘exploration, inspiration and innovation in the world of glass art’, the event takes place on 25 and 26 October 2024 and celebrates the opening of new studio facilities in the Large Glass department.
The organisers state that ‘New Energy’ is not just a title, but rather a guiding principle driving exploration of the limitless possibilities of glass as a medium for artistic expression.
“Over the course of the symposium, we will delve into the transformative power of glass art, shedding light on the groundbreaking techniques, provocative concepts and visionary perspectives that are reshaping the contemporary art landscape,” they explain.
Renowned speakers and makers will be taking part and there will be opportunities to connect with fellow artists, scholars and enthusiasts.
With support from the Alexander Tutsek-Stiftung, the department was able to acquire a new electric furnace and other equipment for the hot shop. These will be showcased live during demonstrations by talented glassblowers Marc Barreda (artist, glassblower, educator at Make Eindhoven), Deborah Czeresko (artist, glassblower and visiting lecturer), Martin Janecky (artist, glass sculptor and visiting artist) and Marek Effmert (artist, glassblower and main assistant to Martin Janecky).
In addition, distinguished speakers will share their insights, experiences and visions for the future of glass art. They are Telesilla Bristogianni (researcher and lecturer at the Glass Research Group of the Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment at TU Delft, NL), David Schnuckel (artist and Associate Professor of Glass at the Rochester Institute of Technology, New York, US) and Frederik Rombach (artist and owner of Rombachs Glass, Antwerp, Belgium).
The symposium fee is €20 (students €10) per person per day. Registration is required as there is limited capacity. Complete this form to reserve your spot.
The Gerrit Rietveld Academie’s Glass Department is dedicated to fostering creativity, critical inquiry and technical mastery in the field of glass art. Its programme encourages experimentation, collaboration and innovation.
Gerrit Rietveld Academie is at Fred. Roeskestraat 96, 1076 ED, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Website: https://rietveldacademie.nl
Graphic by Jonghwan Jeong, a second-year student in the Large Glass department.
Blowfish Glass Gallery has announced the names of the artists selected for its ‘Fifteen x Fifteen’ exhibition, to be launched for the International Festival of Glass in August 2024.
As there were well over 100 applications, the panel have selected 30% of the entries, rather than the original 30.
Selected artists: Aine Ryan, Alison Jardine, Alison Lowry, Alli Hoag, Amy Cushing, Angela Thwaites, Arthur van Buuren, Balazs Telegdi, Bethan Yates, Caroline Anne Weidman, Elizabeth Welch, Elliot Walker, Hale Feriha Hendekcigil, Helen Slater Stokes, Hoseok Youn, Jason Christian, Jennifer Hackett, Jeremy Sinkus, Jessie Lee, Jiayun Ding, Jiemin Park, Jo Mitchell, John Moran, Julia Gonyou, Kate Pasvol, Kayleigh Young, Kerry Collison, Kira Fröse, Krista Israel, Laura Kramer, Linda Norris, Lulu Harrison, Me Fio, Mils Bridgewater, Morag Reekie, Opal Seabrook, Rachel Elliott, Rachel Phillips, Roger Silk, Ryan Ashcroft, Sacha Delabre, Sarah Wiberley, Scott Chaseling, Sean Donlon, Theo Brooks, Verity Pulford and Weston Lambert.
The show opening weekend is 23-25 August 2024 (Friday and Saturday open 9.30am-6.15pm; Sunday 10am-4.30pm and Monday 10.30am-4.30pm).
As well as the Fifteen x Fifteen exhibition, there will be glassblowing demonstrations, panel discussions, a Blowfish functional range pop-up and blow-your-own-glass experiences.
Opening hours from 28 August-21 September 2024 are: Wednesdays 10.30am-5pm, Thursdays 10.30am-7pm, Fridays 1pm-7pm and Saturdays 11am-3.30pm. (Additionally, visits by appointment can be made any day of the week).
Blowfish Glass Gallery is at Unit 15, Red House Glass Cone, High St, Wordsley, Stourbridge DY8 4AZ, UK. Website: https://www.blowfishglassart.com
An installation by Iceland-born glass artist Æsa Björk will be exhibited at S12 Gallery in Norway from 15 June to 18 August 2024.
The exhibition ‘Re-M-Embers’ addresses themes such as memory, loss of memory and thoughts on personal isolation. The gallery space is filled with reflective and partially translucent glass panels, inviting the viewer to move between the different layers, staged by sound and video projections.
Æsa Björk’s art is characterised by its exploration of the human body and the interplay between internal and external realities. She often uses cast or fused glass in combination with other materials and frequently incorporates new technology.
Re-M-Embers is a further development of the site-specific installation Embers, which was exhibited in ‘Passage’ at The Byre in Scotland over the past two years, which was organised by Bullseye Projects USA. The S12 installation will continue to evolve and develop throughout the exhibition period.
Björk has received international recognition and her works have been exhibited in, and acquired by, prestigious institutions worldwide. Björk has also won awards, such as the Grand Prize at the Toyama International Glass Exhibition (2018) and the Coburger Glaspreis for Contemporary Glass (2022). In 2020, she was awarded a 10-year working grant from Arts Council Norway.
S12 Gallery is at Bontelabo 2, 5003 Bergen, Norway and is open from Friday to Sunday 12.00-16.00. Website: https://www.s12.no/en/
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Potton Hall and the Sculpture Garden are open daily 10am-4pm and the sculpture garden is free to visit.
