Journal

We are delighted to have been selected to show. "One hundred and three artists were selected out of 223 applicants to present the most interesting, diverse and outstanding glass art made in the UK in the last three years. The work will form a cutting-edge showcase of contemporary British based glass talent with over £17,000 worth of awards to be won. Prize winners will be announced at the awards ceremony on 25 August at the Glasshouse, Stourbridge. Winners of the prizes chosen through public votes will be announced at the closing ceremony on 1 October." See the exhibition from 26 August - October 1st - 10am - 4pm Venue The Glass House, Wollaston Road Amblecote, Stourbridge. DY8 4HF https://www.glassbiennale.org/

We are delighted to have been selected for this exhibition and curated by Cathryn Shilling. We have made two rondels in stands in overlay blown and engraved glass.

This year is note-worthy for several reasons: firstly, it is the United Nations International Year of Glass, something which we here at London Glassblowing are really excited about. Secondly, it marks the 25th anniversary of the Contemporary Glass Society (CGS.

One of CGS’ aims during this year is to look back and acknowledge their debt of gratitude to those who came before and to showcase their strong heritage and development since their inception. CGS challenges their members to create work that is a celebration of the natural world in which we live. In recognition of this, they are once again collaborating with London Glassblowing on a special exhibition, Earth / Sea / Sky, curated by Cathryn Shilling. The exhibition is showing at our Bermondsey Street gallery during the month of July. This is a juried show in which 50 selected emerging and established artists will showcase new and exciting works, some of a collaborative nature, either through working together with another artist or by combining materials and/or techniques.

You can see the online catalogue here https://londonglassblowing.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/London-Glassblowing-Catalogue.pdf

We enjoyed the river walk around Northdale in the late evening sunshine.

It's the first time I've ever noticed the colour of the young sycamore seeds.

Pink and green work so beautifully on a tree. Trying to imagine how these colours would work on a bowl.

The weather has been amazing, the cotton grass is dotted about the moor tops, looking like land locked clouds.

Light glass and drawing, my favourite things all in one place. We got very lucky with the light one evening while working on a dandelion drawing. Love the long, late summer sunshine! Drawing is the foundation of all our work. Kate studied fine art and still has a healthy sketch book habit which means every piece starts life as a sketch. It's very useful for the limited edition bowls, trying to figure out the essence of each subject, understand it's form and energy and then try to convey this in the glass. Thats the challenge of the limited edition bowls, celebrating the small, easily overlooked wildflowers of the abundant verges here in the North York Moors.

The signature of spring, the sunny yellow bloom of the dandelion is our second seasonal design of 2022.

Dismissed by some as a weed, this perennial plant is an important and early source of nectar and pollen for pollinators.

The name derives from the French “dent de lion” meaning lions tooth, although the modern French tag is less romantic - ‘pissenlit' literally means ‘wet the bed’... the plant has strong diuretic properties.

In the UK dandelion are rarely used in the kitchen, they were considered delicacies by the Victorian gentry; the entire plant, including the leaves, stems, flowers, and roots, is edible and they are a source of vitamins and minerals. With other ingredients, the petals can also be used to make dandelion wine and many of us will be familiar with dandelion and burdock.

In folklore and early medicine the plant was a tonic for our liver and pancreas, as well as being a blood purifier.

The Complete Language of Flowers describes their symbolic meaning as: coquetry, faithfulness, happiness, prosperity, wishes: and wishing for love.

I just love the constellations of blooms that cover the grass verges.

It’s been a very good year for the bold, bright blooms of the dandelion our second seasonal design of 2022.

A cheerful indicator that winter is over and spring is here, despite its low status as a weed, the sunny yellow bloom is an important and early source of pollen for honeybees.

The Complete language of flowers describes the symbolic meaning of the flowers as:-
Coquetry, Faithfulness, Happiness, Prosperity, Wishes: and wishing for love.

And the blooms possible mystical powers as:-
Calling spirits, Divination, Oracle and Purification.

My grandfather was a gardener, and this bloom was his favourite.

He would marvel at its intricacy and had embraced her place in the garden, as trying to eradicate the constellations of flowers from the lawns had proved itself to be an impossible task.

The first Gertrude Jekyll Rose of the year in Rosedale.

It was named in honour of the famous British writer and garden designer, Gertrude Jekyll (1843–1932). Jekyll was one half of one of the most influential and historical partnerships of the Arts and Crafts movement. She was known for her creative planting, influenced by Turner and the Impressionists.

This Rose is soo scented, soo beautiful, it feels like summer is here.

The shrub thrives on the wall of my mother in-laws house, on'tother side of the wall is a large radiator, and we reckon this Rose perhaps, enjoys the benefit of its location.

I will be dressing our vases with this wondrous bloom for the next few weeks.