New Year, New Ideas, New workshops

Happy New Year to all my friends and customers.

As the year turns and the nights begin to get shorter the focus turns from reds to greens.

The new workshop calendar is out with the usual list of opportunities. There is a new day workshop for people who have or wish to learn more about running their own glass kiln. This will cover the uses and methods of all the machinery in my workshop as well as the kilns. So if you want to have a go on a ring saw, grinder or lap grinder to see what it might do for your work as well as learn more about firing techniques and ramps for glass, then this is for you.

I am off at the end of the month to Warmglass uk on a masterclass so lookout for new departures and work in February.

Kiln fired glass provides a superb medium to work with colour and light. It is possible to render every mood from the subtle to the vivid and the flexible and loose to the crisp and dramatic.

I began my journey into kiln fired glass whilst studying for a BA in Design at Glasgow school of Art between 2004-2008, my specialisation was in ceramics but there was a link to glass as both are silicate arts. Having always been a lover of colour and pattern I was fascinated by glaze and when a chance opportunity to try kiln fired glass came along I was hooked.

Initially I made only jewellery using dichroic glass in conjunction with transparent glass and pure silver wire. I began offering taster and full day workshops in this in 2009 and it is still one of the most popular.

In 2010 a workshop reorganisation enabled a new glass kiln , grinder, lap grinder and circular saw. This equipment means that I can now slump bowls and dishes and cast and finish 3D pieces of glass.