400th ANNIVERSARY OF SCOTTISH GLASS
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2010 marks the 400th anniversary of glass making in Scotland with a major conference which will take place at Edinburgh College of Art 1-4 October this year. Registration for this, the largest event of its kind ever to be held in the UK, has just opened.
With 33 lectures in three parallel streams dealing with contemporary glass paperweights and historical subjects, the conference also includes demonstrations of paperweight making, hot glass work and engraving. You can find out just how much is going on by going to scotlandsglass.co.uk, but here is just a taste of what you can find there: Want to know about paperweights? Derek Carter, archivist of the Paperweight Collector's Circle, will give you their history, while master glassmakers Alastair MacIntosh and Mike Hunter will show you how they are made now, as well as how they were made using 17th century Venetian techniques. Top Scottish glass artist Alison Kinnaird will be talking about her experience of working in the great library in Alexandria, Egypt, where she was one of only five artists to be invited to make glass for this iconic building. Ever wanted to know more about Caithness glass, or Edinburgh crystal, or Jacobite glass, or how to run a stained glass studio? It's all here. Speakers are coming from the USA, Europe, as well as from across Britain to take part in this unique event. Some of the finest glass makers working today will be there, as will some of our top glass experts. Simon Cottle, the glass man at Bonhams, and Stephen Pollock-Hill, President of British Glass, will share their expertise with the lucky delegates, while Denis Mann (who engraves the Mastermind trophy) will be engraving on the lathe used by the founder of ECA's internationally renowned glass department, Helen Monro Turner. Her influence is also discussed by former Keeper of Decorative Art at Glasgow Museums, Brian Blench. For three days, Edinburgh will be the centre of the glass world. It's a fitting celebration of a year that has seen museums across Scotland celebrate with special glass displays and saw the publication of the first ever book to cover the entire history of glass in Scotland - Scotland's Glass. If you want to know more, go to the website or give me a ring. Other surprises are in store later in the year, so please keep in touch. |
Alison Kinnaird Maze (detail) 2008 |
Tazza by Mike Hunter - Twists Glass |
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Engraved Decanter John Millar & Co. 1862 | |
All glass images copyright
Banner image of glassmaker,
courtesy www.glass-study.org For further details about this and everything else happening in 2010, go to www.scotlandsglass.co.uk or phone:
Shiona Airlie on 07722 431 987 |
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New book – Paul Ysart PaperweightsJust announced: Masterworks: The Paperweights of Paul Ysart by Colin Mahoney, Paperweight Press USA See The Glass Gallery for more information. |
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