Lalique

Recently, I had the privilege to handle an original Lalique bowl.

This bowl had a chip in the rim.  Removing the chip would return the value of the bowl to the original state price.  There was a bit of pressure to get the chip ground and polished out without further damaging the item.

As you can see, I managed it to the owner's satisfaction.

The delight of this bowl is the use of the thickness of the tinted glass to bring out the form of the figures.  Where the glass is thicker the milky white shows more distinctly.  The weight of the bowl indicates that it probably is made from leaded glass.

Standing Stone

My glass "Standing Stone" is now installed at Ravenswood, in Kilmelford on Loch Melfort. 

View toward land

View over Loch Melfort

This finally is a good site for the piece to continue its life. With its references to pictish, celtic and christian symbols and cultures it is a statement about the changing cultures in the continuity of the landscape 

Chandelier

In the autumn I was asked to provide a chandelier for a large hallway. The principle was to have repeating features that would break up the light from the central hanging.

I made a drawing and a few samples of the pieces to be incorporated. This was approved.

Before Christmas I delivered the finished piece. It consists of two polished stainless steel rings suspended by chains from a central lighting point and several hundred pieces of cast glass of different sizes.

Recently I was able to see the piece installed. It is not immediately obvious upon entry to the house, as there is a landing immediately above the entry. But it is revealed as you move into the house and happen to look upwards.

And as you move up the stairway, the chandelier becomes more obvious both in size and appearance.

It stands out - although only of clear glass - whether against the daylight or as here within the stairwell.

The individually cast pieces of glass break up the light from the light source as can be seen from the above photo.

Each piece is cast with linking wires to attach all the pieces together. Each column of glass ends with a piece having only one link. The inner ring of glass pieces are of a smaller diameter (ca. 35mm dia.) than the outer ones (ca. 50mm dia.) to help fill the spaces that would otherwise be left if all pieces were of the same size.

It is not a surprise - with glass of 6mm thickness and diameters up to 50mm - that this is a heavy piece. Bolts fasten the central hanging point to the beams in the ceiling as is advisable for any large chandelier.

Window in a Listed Building,11 - soldering

All the pieces are painted and the leading of the four panels is proceeding. Below is the bottom panel ready for soldering.

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Visit to glass exhibition

After the WASPS studios show, I packed up and went to London the next day to babysit for my daughter who came to Nairn for a birthday celebration and pampering with friends.

While there I went to the London Glassblowing Studio in the Leathermarket near Blackfriars train station. If you are passing there is always a display of glass in the gallery and often you can view people blowing glass. I went to see the Cohesion show called Blast!2008. This is a show of kiln formed work, which is unusal for the LGBS as they mostly show blown glass. It was also a bit odd. The Cohesion network is based in north east England, and I went from Glasgow to London to see it! Have a look at the items in the show. There is a lot of interesting stuff being done.