Verrier

Verrier specialises in the design and making of architectural and decorative glass for domestic, and commercial settings. Leaded and kiln formed techniques are used to provide windows, wall hangings and decorative features.

Verrier uses the traditional values of high quality craftsmanship, attention to detail and fitting the work to the requirements of the client. It is preferred to visit the site to ensure the glass is suitable for the situation. Clients are also encouraged to visit the studio to confirm the work practices and ability of Verrier to meet their requirements.

Restoration of existing windows is done to high standards whether for simple or historically important windows. Verrier has worked with the Glasgow City Heritage Trust on several projects and with various architects and builders on larger projects.

Verrier also conducts weekend workshops and some evening classes, as well as supplying glass and tools to other workers and enthusiasts.

Verrier is run by Stephen Richard who has had art training at the University of Kansas and Glasgow Metropolitan, and in master classes with Paul San Casciani and Klaus Moje. He is involved with various professional bodies: Past Chairman of the Scottish Glass Society, Past Chairman of the International Guild of Glass Artists (currently on the advisory board), Past Chair of craftscotland, member of British Society of Master Glass Painters, and the Contemporary Glass Society. He established Architectural Glass Artists in 1998, which has grown into the largest collaborative glass studio in Scotland.

More information is available in my cv (link at the top of the page) which links to various projects.
You can also contact Verrier:

email at stephen.richard43@gmail.com

telephone at 0141 556 5700

mobile 0771 883 1117

or drop into the studio:

Studio 8 WASPS Studios, 77 Hanson Street, Glasgow G31 2HF

One-Day Fusing Experience

An old - but young - friend brought two of her friends for a day of working together in the studio. She had some designs in mind and had enough previous experience that I could leave her to get on while I took the other two through how to cut glass. Neither had cut any glass before coming to the studio.

They both took to it well. Within 45 minutes, I was ready to let them go with designing. By lunch time the designs were prepared and the colours selected. The period just after lunch was the time that their designs were drastically simplified as they came to grips with the nature of the glass.

The person I am going to concentrate on is not better than the other, it is just that her design went through a significant transformation. She early on decided on using strips to create a sinuous design which would be formed to be self supporting. This determination to do many repetitive cuts of strips might have tested many, but she took to the task well, with few shattered strips. She was a bit dismayed when she thought she had done enough strips, after two hours cutting only to find that she had at least half as many again to cut.

At the end of the day, we laid the strips out on the stainless steel mould with a layer of Thinfire over.

I liked the pattern of subtle coloured shadows the strips threw onto the paper below. Unfortunately, the light levels mean that the camera did not pick up so much of the colour as my eye did. Still It provides a mysterious picture when out of context.

The resulting curved strips were assembled by the student a couple of days later - yes I know, not strictly a one day class. This is where the limitations of the curves came into play. Even though the design has been modified a lot, the feel of the original comes through.

The remaining pieces and off-cuts of the strips were combined into objects intended for hanging. The rule of kiln forming is to avoid all waste.

Now to shape the main piece. This will require watching, as so much of the piece will not be supported during the early and mid stages of the drape. I will need to make sure that I am not interrupted. So is it early morning, or late night?

Glass Tips

I was tidying up the Glass Tips section and idly looked at the recent statistics for the site. I was very surprised to see that I have reached a point where there were more than 100 hits in a single day!

It was pleasing to see that recently 32% have stayed from over 30 seconds to over an hour on each visit. And 16% have returned more than once - 4% visiting more than 10 times.

I started the tips section in August 2008 after an abortitive attempt to establish something with the IGGA. I find that I currently have produced 321 postings on a variety of topics.

Well, it is something to do instead of watching television.

Open Access

While I am posting information about workshops, it occurred to me that this might be a good time to tell interested people about the Open Access Studio concept that is operated here.



The open access concept is to allow people without the space or facilities to expand their skills without having to take numerous classes. This allows the individual to take things at their own pace. Of course, the open access is offered by appointment only. It is expected that the people coming will have basic skills and are looking to develop those skills within a working studio environment. The also should have basic hand tools, although more expensive and less used tools can be accessed from the studio. Some assistance with problems is available.



The basic bench hire can be used for leaded glass and copper foil work and other projects that do not require major equipment resources.

Costs: £5 per hour, or £25 per day, by appointment



The open Kiln offers you facilities to develop your interest in kiln forming. The studio facilities are made available to you to create your work. Stephen or an appointed person will be on hand to answer questions and give guidance with your projects and in the firing of the kiln if necessary. It is possible to schedule brief consultations on projects or methods you wish to investigate.



You can use your own glass or buy at the studio. You will need to have your own hand tools. Firing fees and mould rental charges apply. At least one class in kiln formed glass is a prerequisite.

Costs: £5 per hour or £25 per day, by appointment

Kiln firings: £5 for the small kiln (500mm square), £25 for the large kiln (2200x1000mm)



The open torch offers you the same facilities as for the open kiln to develop your skills in torch working. You can use your own glass or buy at the studio. Firing fees and gas charges apply. At least one class in torch working glass is a prerequisite.

Costs: £5 per hour or £25 per day, by appointment

Gas: £10 per bottle of propylene gas, £1 per hour of propane gas

Kiln annealing: £5

Fusing and Bowls

This workshop combines two of the most popular forms of kiln working - fusing and slumping. You will prepare a number of tests on the first day, using a variety of materials - metals, frits, confetti, mica, stringers and even cut glass. Discussions of kiln forming basics – glass, mould materials, firings, etc – will be interspersed with demonstrations and actual making. This is an intermediate level workshop integrating the fundamentals of kiln processes with exercises. You will use clear and coloured glass to illustrate the principles of design and colour. You will make numerous studies beginning with basic materials and methods, and building on them to create pieces to integrate them into your bowls. A few bowls will be produced during the workshop.

You will need glass cutting experience, or Cutting with Confidence

This workshop is held in a large, bright and airy (but warm) working studio. The workshop is limited to a maximum of six people to give you individual attention. All kiln-forming classes are taught using Bullseye glass - the première fusing glass. All tools and materials (and where relevant, the kiln firings) are provided in the workshop fees.

Date: 21 - 22 November

Time: 10:00 to at least 4:30pm

Price: £185

Booking: A deposit of £50 is required to book your place which must be received one week in advance. For further information contact: Steve Richard at Verrier, Studio 8, 77 Hanson Street, Glasgow G312HF. Telephone: 0771 883 1117, e-mail: s.richard@verrier-scotland.demon.co.uk

Leaded Glass Workshop

This workshop is appropriate for novices as well as experienced people. It introduces you to the traditional skills of making stained glass windows. You will produce one panel from a stock design or your own. You will be taken through the skills of complex glass scoring and breaking, leading, soldering and finishing through a variety of exercises.

Cutting with Confidence or equivalent experience is a prerequisite.

This workshop is held in a large, bright and airy (but warm) working studio. The workshop is limited to a maximum of six people to give you individual attention. All kiln-forming classes are taught using Bullseye glass - the première fusing glass. All tools and materials (and where relevant, the kiln firings) are provided in the workshop fees.

Date: 1 - 2 August

Time: 10:00am to at least 4:30pm

Price: £150

Booking: A deposit of £50 is required to book your place which must be received one week in advance. For further information contact: Steve Richard at Verrier, Studio 8, 77 Hanson Street, Glasgow G312HF. Telephone: 0771 883 1117, e-mail: s.richard@verrier-scotland.demon.co.uk

Fusing and Kiln Carving Workshop

This three-day intermediate level workshop develops the fundamentals of kiln processes with exercises. It will enable you to make wall hangings with an extra dimension. You will use clear and coloured glass to develop the principles of design and colour. You will make numerous studies beginning with basic materials and methods, and building on them to create pieces to integrate them into a project.

You will move on through the creation of maquettes to shaped panels in relief using ceramic fibres, sand and found objects. Ceramic fibres can give sharply defined images and, by tearing, much more free form images. Working directly into sand provides an additional mode of expression. Found objects can be used to create other forms. This method of kiln forming gives added dimension to your work, from hints of form to full bas relief forms.

You will need glass cutting experience, or Cutting with Confidence

This workshop is held in a large, bright and airy (but warm) working studio. The workshop is limited to a maximum of six people to give you individual attention. All kiln-forming classes are taught using Bullseye glass - the première fusing glass. All tools and materials (and where relevant, the kiln firings) are provided in the workshop fees.

Date: May 23 - 25

Time: 10:00am to at least 4:30pm

Price: £225

Booking: A deposit of £50 is required to book your place which must be received one week in advance. For further information contact: Steve Richard at Verrier, Studio 8, 77 Hanson Street, Glasgow G312HF. Telephone: 0771 883 1117, e-mail: s.richard@verrier-scotland.demon.co.uk

Making Glass Bowls Workshop

This workshop introduces you to the most popular form of kiln working. You will prepare a number of tests on the first day, using a variety of materials - metals, frits, confetti, mica, stringers and even cut glass! Discussions of kiln forming basics – glass, mould materials, firings, etc – will be interspersed with demonstrations and actual making. A few bowls will be produced over the two days. You will need glass cutting experience, or Cutting with Confidence

This workshop is held in a large, bright and airy (but warm) working studio. The workshop is limited to a maximum of six people to give you individual attention. All kiln-forming classes are taught using Bullseye glass - the première fusing glass. All tools and materials (and where relevant, the kiln firings) are provided in the workshop fees.


Date: 19 - 20 September

Time: 10:00am to at least 4:30pm

Price: £150

Booking: A deposit of £50 is required to book your place which must be received one week in advance. For further information contact: Steve Richard at Verrier, Studio 8, 77 Hanson Street, Glasgow G312HF. Telephone: 0771 883 1117, e-mail: s.richard@verrier-scotland.demon.co.uk

Fusing Workshop

This is a beginner to intermediate level workshop integrating the fundamentals of kiln processes with exercises. You will use clear and coloured glass to illustrate the principles of design and colour. You will make numerous studies beginning with basic materials and methods, and building on them to create pieces to integrate them into a project. You will need glass cutting experience, or Cutting with Confidence

This workshop is held in a large, bright and airy (but warm) working studio. The workshop is limited to a maximum of six people to give you individual attention. All kiln-forming classes are taught using Bullseye glass - the première fusing glass. All tools and materials (and where relevant, the kiln firings) are provided in the workshop fees.

Date: 11 - 12 April

Price: £150

Booking: A deposit of £50 is required to book your place which must be received one week in advance. For further information contact: Steve Richard at Verrier, Studio 8, 77 Hanson Street, Glasgow G312HF. Telephone: 0771 883 1117, e-mail: s.richard@verrier-scotland.demon.co.uk

Beadmaking Workshop

This workshop introduces people to working with hot glass on a small scale. The basics of bead making, including the use of tools, safety and bench set-up are covered. Participants will make a dozen or more beads, by developing the various skills of manipulating glass, making stringers, basic bead shapes, marvering, dot application, annealing, bead cleaning and more. No prior experience is needed.

These workshops are held in a large, bright and airy (but warm) working studio. The workshops are limited to a maximum of six people to give you individual attention. All kiln-forming classes are taught using Bullseye glass - the première fusing glass. All tools and materials (and where relevant, the kiln firings) are provided in the workshop fees.

Dates: Saturday 21 March also Saturday 20 June

Time: 10:00am - at least 4:30pm

Price: £75

Booking: A deposit of £50 is required to book your place which must be received one week in advance. For further information contact: Steve Richard at Verrier, Studio 8, 77 Hanson Street, Glasgow G312HF. Telephone: 0771 883 1117, e-mail: s.richard@verrier-scotland.demon.co.uk

Cutting with Confidence Workshops

Glass cutting is a skill that often is not fully acquired for years after starting in glass. This restricts your ability to make the right cut the first time, eliminating a lot of grinding and shaping. In this two-and-a-half hour session, you will learn to cut with confidence and efficiency. The skills include straight and curving cuts, circles, use of the tools, safety aspects of cutting glass. This provides a solid base for cutting in other workshops and for future glass work.

Verrier workshops are held in a large, bright and airy (but warm) working studio. The workshops are limited to a maximum of six people to give you individual attention. All tools and materials are provided in the workshop fee.

The Cutting with Confidence workshops run from 5:00 to 7:00pm

The dates for these Friday workshops are:

10 April

22 May

3 July

31 July

18 September

23 October

20 November

Price: £25.

Booking: A deposit of £25 is required to book your place and must be received one week in advance. For further information contact: Steve Richard at Verrier, Studio 8, 77 Hanson Street, Glasgow G312HF. Telephone: 0771 883 1117, e-mail: s.richard@verrier-scotland.demon.co.uk

Absence and Return

I haven't been very consistent in posting about my activities. Apologies.

I have had several weeks of doing no glass at all! The first of these weeks I spent on a life drawing course with 7 other people. Five days for only £100. This included meals and all the paper you could use. Oh yes. And a model and an instructor. Although I was only able to do the first 4 days, it was a great experience. I normally think I can do only two hours at a time before my concentration falls. Well with an instructor, I find I can concentrate longer. It was a great group of people from all kinds of backgrounds and experience.

The last day I had to go to chair the craftscotland Board meeting. We have appointed a new chief executive, and I didn't think I could leave her to cope on her own, nor my vice-chairman. One good outcome of the post meeting discussion was that I think we have convinced the vice-chairman to take on the post of chairman soon.

Then off to London for a week to see my daughter and go to some exhibitions. I got to see the Royal Academy show that included a number of my favourite artists - Braque, Calder, Miro, and Giocometti. It was a great show with lots of big stuff. There also were a number of charming small studies in pencil, charcoal and some pastels that showed the working up of ideas to the final pieces.

I also got in the last week of the BSMGP 40cm2 (Forty centimeters squared) show at the Cochrane Theatre. This required each of the selected artists to use a square format of 40cm. This provided a variegated wall of glass against the windows of the Cochrane Theatre bar area. I was there on a bright day which allowed lots of light through all the windows. A feature of the street scape outside the Theatre is a number of relatively young trees, giving a dappled light for the panels. Lots of variety, but not many surprises. But there was enough to occupy me for a couple of hours.

I went to the Sir John Soan Museum in Lincoln's Inn Fields. This is a great museum for those interested in architectural details. The attraction was the invitation to find the pieces of glass, ceramics and a few other materials that were created by students in response to the space. Well some of them were so well hidden that even with a crib sheet they were not easy to find. My favourite though was a "poured" piece of glass falling from a tap in the dressing room.

Good dinners, good conversations, and nice wines.

Then I came back to reality - work.

As you know, I have had difficulty with my large kiln over the past few months. I am now getting more confident about the results that I can get from it. The three pieces below are a screen between a bedroom and the stair up to the loft. It is more about decoration that privacy it seems to me.

The three pieces as shown are for a space 990mm by 860mm

The actual colour is somewhere between these two photographs. The upper one is as it was taken by the camera (me). the lower one is as colour corrected by Adobe. The colours are warmer than the bottom one, but not so yellow as the top. I suspect that I should take an evening class in photography.

Curriculum Vitae

Curriculum Vitae of Stephen Richard

Stephen has concentrated on domestic, public and commercial decorative glass. His public installations and restorations include:

Theatre Lights, 1995 and Library and University Tower, 1997 meeting room screens, Glasgow University Library
Italian Design, 1998. Fused and back lit panels for "Made in "Italy", Edinburgh
Fused and shaped panels for Scottish Courage, Edinburgh, 1998
Commemorative panel, Daldorch House School, 1999
Dream Time, 1999, Fused and bonded glass, 1500 by 850mm, Rococo Restaurant, Glasgow
Light Wall, 2000. Fused and back lighted tiles, 2.25 square metres
Flight, 2000. Nine square metre skylight for Millers Bistro, North Berwick in fused glass.
Restoration of 9 painted and stained 19th century panels for the Talbot Association, 2001
Players, 2001. A 12 square metre ceiling for the Scottish Football Association reception offices in fused glass and metal.
Garden Display, 2001, for Glasgow City Council Lands Department. 2.5m diameter glass and steel panel.
Panels for Glasgow University Bar, 2002, 1.22 by .45 m.
Complete fenestration for St Andrew’s East Church, Glasgow, 2002 [Building and windows designed by Salmond, a contemporary of Mackintosh’s]
Windows for sets at BBC Scotland for "River City". Leaded, etched, and textured glass, 2002
Reminder, 2002. 450x380x40mm. Commemorative panel using a Mackintosh aphorism. Installed in Oxford.

Castleton House. Restoration of medallions and other glass, and setting them in new windows, 2002
Restoration of the painted and stained East window of the Episcopal Church, Ayr, 2003
Waving, 2003. 11.5 metres of back lighted fused glass representing the movement of sea and sky. Installed at Highgrove House Hotel, Troon.
Wall Panels, 2003. Decorative, fused panel for "Little Italy", Glasgow. 1.5 by .8 metres.
Internal decorative glass panels, 2003, for "Bloody Mary", Glasgow.
Spread Eagle Glass sculpture 700x300x40mm and lamp shades for Lazzio restaurant, Edinburgh, 2004
Re-glazing of Dowanvale Free Church, Partick, Glasgow, 2004
The Sky is Falling (610x610mm) Ceiling panel for bathroom, Motherwell, 2005
Albinoni’s Adigio in G Minor Fused panels, Partick, 2005
Installation of historic items in glass brick walls, Whitehill Community Centre, Hamilton, 2005
Figures Large domestic leaded glass panel, Jordanhill, 2005
Fireworks 1metre square fused panel for wall hanging, Dumfries, 2006
Installation at Corries Solicitors, Washington Street ,Glasgow, 2006
Glazing for Dowanvale Church, 2007
Restoration of Oscar Patterson window, Otago Street, 2007
Storms, a bedroom screen for a private house, Ayrshire, 2008
"Sand, sea, air", Fused glass skylight installation, 1830 x 1300mm, 2009
Complete restoration of windows in 1920's conservation area, First Gardens, Dumbreck, Glasgow, 2009
Coupola repair and protective glazing, Dumbreck, Glasgow, 2009
Restoration of stair window in 1850's listed building, 2009
Collaboration with Amanda Johnson on cast glass and steel public installation at Merry Street, Motherwell, 2009
Collaboration with Amy Stephenson on the incorporation of glass with garments, displayed on the catwalk at the London Fashion Show, 2010
Restoration of Wheel Windows at St. Serf's Church, Glasgow, 2010

In the last few years he has increasingly turned his attention to heat formed and sculptural forms.

Community activities have included:
Hyndland Stained Glass Survey Project.1997-9
Jordanhill Secondary School, artist in residence, 1998 and 2002
St Charles Primary School, residency, 1999
Larkhall Millennium Project, 1999-2000
Queen’s Cross Housing Association, 2000
Hillhead Community Centre, Kirkintilloch, 2001
Workshops for local primary schools, 2002 & 2003
Community Artist with National Museums of Scotland and South Lanarkshire Council for Whitehill, Hamilton, 2004
Joint artist in residence at Larkhall Academy, 2003-2005. Scottish Arts Council funded project.
Mosaic with pupils of S4 at Golfhill Primary School. 2010
Discussion and shortlisted with Caringorms National Park on provision of large scale sculptural boundary signs and objects reacting to the views at various points throughout the Park.

He has exhibited:
Selected for "Migrate" A travelling exhibition organised by the Scottish Glass Society, 2009-2010, various locations in Scotland and England.
WASPS Open Studios, October 2009
National Museums of Scotland and others – "Cutting Edge", 2007, a travelling exhibition.
Lillie Gallery, Milngavie, 2007
Scottish Art Market, May 2006
Park Gallery, Falkirk, 2004-5
Strathearn Gallery, Crief, joint show, 2002, 2005
Dundas Street Gallery, Edinburgh, 2004
Celtic Connections at Wasps, 2004
Compass Gallery, Glasgow, joint show, 1999, 2001, 2003
Collins Gallery, Glasgow, joint shows, 2001, 2002, 2003
Q2 Gallery, Dundee, joint show, 2003
Peter Potter Gallery, Haddington, jopint show, 2007
Currently represented in Arran Gallery, Coach House Gallery, Culross Gallery. Torre Art Gallery

Publications:

The Cutting Edge, Scotland's Contemporary Crafts edited by C Baird and R Watban. National Museums of Scotland, 2007

"Made in Scotland"pp.10-12, Art Mag, Feb/March 2011

Education:
BA, University of Kansas, 1965
Dip Lib, University of Strathclyde, 1966
M Lib, University of Wales, Aberystwyth, 1990
HNC, Glasgow College of Building and Printing. 1997
Paul San Casciani, at West Dean, 1988 and at Oxford, 1992
Bohle, at Glasgow, 2001, 2004
Northlands Master Class with Klaus Moje, 2005

Additional activities:
Craftscotland (an SAC funded information, marketing, and web resource), Board of Directors, 2004- ; Chair 2006-
International Guild of Glass Artists, Vice Chairman
Association for Applied Arts Scotland, Advisory Committee, 2002-4
Scottish Arts Council, Scottish Crafts Website Steering Group 2002-4
Consultant, Kibble Palace interpretative scheme, Glasgow Botanic Gardens, 2003-5
Joint Curator, Scottish Glass Society Exhibition 1999
Selection Panel for Exhibition at Strathearn Gallery, 2002
Administrator for Scottish Glass Society exhibitions, 2006 and 2007
Member, Children's Panel, Glasgow, 2003-
Member Scottish Glass Society committee in various capacities, 1999-2006

Contact details:
Stephen Richard, Studio 8, WASPS Studios, 77 Hanson Street, Glasgow G31 2HF.
Tel. 0771 883 1117 or 0141 556 5700
Fax: 0141 554 7330
E-mail: stephen.richard43@gmail.com