On my to do list for 2011 was to start my first blog to tell the world about me and my glass, so, hello!! 

I am Genevieve, a glass artist based in Halifax in West Yorkshire and this is my make or break year. What started as a hobby nearly 10 years ago is now becoming a realistic life changing event…  I still have a day job, but the end is in sight.  I have given myself a deadline of September 2011 for proving that I can make a living from my glass and I am now doing everything I can to succeed.  We only get one life, and I want to stop playing safe, and actually do something I love doing. 

So far the year has started well with lots of people interested in my stained glass and fused glass courses.  I run these in my workshop at my house and I totally love doing them.  I can’t get over how exciting it is sharing a passion with other people and inspiring them with my enthusiasm.  And the surprising thing is how much inspiration I get back in return - the different interpretations of the same set of instructions sets my mind racing with more ideas which I can now apply to my own work - Brilliant!  If you want to see pictures of work from some of my students, have a look at the photo gallery on my website http://www.wickedgencrafts.co.uk/index_files/Page575.htm

Should you be interested in attending one of my courses please don’t hesitate to get in touch

No matter where you live, you’ve probably got a little piece of Sunderland in your home – in the shape of a casserole dish. Pyrex, a revolutionary glassware that became a must-have in kitchens throughout the world, has been manufactured in the city since 1922, following a line of major glass manufacturers that boomed as a result of the cheap coal prices from nearby Newcastle, the excellent shipping links with Europe and the quality sand imported from the Baltic. Sadly, the last gob of glass was be removed from the Pyrex factory’s furnace in September 2007, and Sunderland’s glass making industry came to an end after nearly 300 years.

However, the University of Sunderland’s Art faculty and the adjoining National Glass Centre are keeping the Wearside traditions alive. The Glass and Ceramics Bachelors degree is one of only a handful in the country and is proving an attractive course for artists across the globe.

Jessamy Kelly, who graduated from the course in 2001 is proof of its success. Now a co-director of Juo Ltd, a Sunderland based contemporary fused art glass brand, as well as vice chair & press officer of Scottish Glass Society and events & marketing coordinator Contemporary Glass Society, Jessamy owes a lot of her success in this niche industry to the facilities and tutors at the University.

“When I was looking around for the degree courses I came across the glass and ceramic course at Sunderland and thought it sounded very interesting, especially having never worked with glass before,” Jessamy explains. “The course was brilliant; we got to do everything from turning pots on the wheel to blowing glass. There were students there from all over the place, it’s a world-renowned course and I can see why. The facilities are as good as they get and the experience and passion of the tutors goes a long way.”

After graduating, Jessamy received a scholarship from Edinburgh Crystal and went straight up to the Scottish capital to complete an industrial placement as a student glass designer and was offered a job upon completing the placement. It was here that she met Joanne Mitchell, the other half of Juo’s creative team.

Joanne’s glass making and design skills matched those of Jessamy, and while their individual work had its own identity, they found their influences to be similar and setting up a business together seemed to be an ideal opportunity to collaborate.

“We both realised that at Edinburgh Crystal we didn’t have the creative freedom we felt we needed so we left to start Juo,” explains Jessamy. “Obviously there have been some hard and stressful moments working together but we get on great, so it’s never been a major issue. Artistically our styles compliment each other and we still both have our individuality. Even on the commission projects we get from local businesses we still find we have a lot of creative freedom.”

The dynamic working relationship has led to the company going from strength to strength, and their awards cabinet is filling up fast with accolades including the Blueprint ‘Business Planning Award’ and the Pearson’s Prize for ‘Best use of glass in retail and interior’; Jessamy was also awarded the ‘The craft&design Maker of the Year award’ in 2009. To start up the business they received funding from the Princes Trust ‘Start up Business Award’, NESTA’s ‘Insight Out Business Award’ and Arts Council England’s ‘Cultural Business Award’; which helped them to get the business going.

“We are doing what people in this area have done for hundreds of years and that’s special, especially when you’re hard work is recognised by people in the industry,” says Jessamy. ”We are very skilled artists and I’m proud to be continuing this tradition. What’s even better is that we are pushing things forward and keeping them fresh by always using and developing new techniques.”

Jessamy’s influences are built on her life growing up by the sea in Whitley Bay, 16 miles north of Sunderland, and Juo’s latest collection ‘coast’ is made using casts of rippled sand after the tide has dropped.

Juo’s studio is based in the National Glass Centre – a unique, contemporary building that houses exhibition galleries, artist’s studios and production facilities, a craft & design shop (where you can find pieces of Juo art glass for sale) and an award-winning restaurant. In partnership with the University of Sunderland the centre delivers a programme of changing exhibitions, education workshops and events for schools, families, adults and children – all of which are of huge benefit to the local community, says Jessamy: “We are surrounded by a big community of artists at the Glass Centre. Not only is it educating the local community on our skills but it’s perfect for art students who become part of the growing community of like-minded people.”

The Sunderland area is blossoming with talented artists, Jessamy plans to keep the business in the area, not only because she loves it but also because of the business opportunity it provides.

“The North East has attracted some very skilled creative people thanks to its wealth of courses and generous funding initiatives. A lot of our networks are here and we’re all very well supported. Being a reasonably small area there are a lot of word of mouth sales that we would miss out on anywhere else.”

Jessamy has recently completed a PhD in Glass and Ceramics at the University and hopes Juo will continue to thrive and allow them to keep the Wearside glass making heritage alive.

How did the concept of Juo come about?

We originally met in 2001, when we were both working at Edinburgh Crystal as in house glass designers. We both went on to work independently setting up our own art glass practices specialising in hand blown glass. From the very start we felt that there would be a project in the grand scheme of things that would lead us to collaborate. In early 2006, Jessamy was approached by Alan Elliot from iii.uk a UK sales agency for the renowned Swedish Art Glass brands Orrefors & Kosta Boda. Jessamy had previously worked with Alan on a design competition and they had stayed in touch. Keen to work with proven British design talent, Alan saw the market potential of contemporary fused glass, a high end market which he wanted to move into. This was the project we had been waiting for, iii.uk have supported and represented us ever since; developing key retail accounts throughout the UK. In reflection all of these events have influenced and formed the concept of Juo, fused with a driving force based on creativity and collaboration. The entrepreneurial relationship we have fostered since our first meeting has been a rewarding and successful one, driven by our shared enthusiasm for art glass, our chosen medium of expression.

What inspires you?

We are both inspired by the intrinsic beauty of glass and the evocative way that light passes through the transparent and colourful surfaces. We draws Inspiration from many sources such as the organic forms and textures of the local landscape: the detail in sand drifts, rock formations and melting ice, the drama of the evening sky at sunset and sunrise, or natural found objects from a walk in the countryside. We create serial runs of limited edition wall panels, refreshing the ranges and bringing out new shapes and designs every season.

When Jessamy created Coast she carefully selected sand drifted textures from the north east coastline, which she cast in solid plaster and transformed into unique art glass pieces back at the studio. Given that glass is made of sand this work has an immediate link to the physicality of the coast. The drifting forms come directly from nature inspired by the play of light and dark shadows on a coastal landscape, seen through the subtle interplay of light and colour. The ethereal, dream like quality the glass casts as projected light onto the wall, describes a visual submergence into deep turquoise and clear waters. Evoking an unbound sensation of floating beneath the surface of the sea, as light ebbs and breaks with the tide.

In Glacier, Joanne captures the beauty of ice formations and snow-filled ravines found within glacial landscapes. The clear transparency of the glass reflects light, evoking the purity of ice as it melts. Expressing the transformation of thawing winter, the work aims to convey the transient nature of the seasons. The limited edition wall pieces are made in single or interrelated triptychs; each is unique and signed by the artist. Joanne’s artworks combine understated yet striking shapes and textures, examining the tactility and sensuality of the material. She is also interested in themes around urban nature, life cycles and recollection of past memories.

Do you have a favourite piece to date?

‘My feelings about a piece often change as I can get bored quite quickly! Of my own designs I’m fond of ‘Horizon’ at the moment. Of Jess’s designs I love ‘Coast’.’ (Joanne Mitchell)

‘For me there’s always a new piece in my mind that I am searching for that could be my new favourite. There are however key pieces in the range that are just irreplaceable and have an essential vitality. The resonance of ‘Glacier’ and the calm exuded by ‘Coast’ are my favourites so far!’ (Jessamy Kelly)

What is ‘fused’ glass? 

Fused glass is an artistic studio technique, which involves the process of bonding and shaping layers of glass (usually in or over a mould) by heating in a kiln. The unique processing involved in the creation of her work is driven by the hand crafted sensitivity of craft practice. The studio techniques they use enable the production of infinite shapes and colour variations; each piece is handmade by the designers and is individually signed and dated. 

 Are you from the North East originally and why have you chosen to base your business here?

‘Joanne grew up in County Durham in a small village called Kirk Merrington until the family moved to West Yorkshire when she was 13. She chose to move back to the North East when she first set up in business as a glass artist in 2003, partly because of her affection for the area and the quality of life and also because of the unrivalled facilities and support network that were available in the area provide through the Cohesion Glassmakers’ Network and the National Glass Centre.’

‘Jessamy is originally from Whitley Bay and has always lived within minutes of the beach, which is such an important part of her life, she runs, walks and thinks there! She splits her time between the North East and Edinburgh, travelling down to the studio during the week and spending her weekends up in Scotland. The North east is definitely home for Jessamy with a mix of family, friends and colleagues that make up a rich support network for her.’

The National Glass Centre, in Sunderland was an ideal location to base Juo because Jessamy was studying there part time towards a PhD and Joanne’s business was well established there, it was accessible and practical for us both.’

 Do you and Joanne compliment or contradict each other artistically?

‘We’ve always had similar thought processes design-wise –we’re drawn to and inspired by the same things so it’s great when we get the chance to sit down together and develop our ideas. Whether we’re visiting a design show or art gallery together we will enthuse together. I would say that we generally compliment each other; however there are certain elements which could be seen as a contradiction that can create a real contrast in our work. We each have our individual styles and interpretations that come through the work in a unique way.’

Who do you admire artistically?

‘Joanne is inspired by the work of photographers Edward Weston and Thierry Le Gouès, she greatly admires the post-war Scandinavian designers Nils Landberg, Tapio Wirkkala and Timo Sarpaneva. The breadth of contemporary designer Marc Newson’s design ability is a real inspiration; and since first painting with oils at school she has been in awe of Caravaggio.’ 

Where would you like to see Juo in ten years? 

We have a vision for art glass to be regarded as a unique medium for artistic expression, that is seen as a lifestyle statement and art investment, not just an everyday functional product. We hope to work on many more high profile installation pieces for public and private commissions, the process of creating bespoke work is a really stimulating one. We envisage that Juo will continue to grow as a leading edge art glass brand, who will innovate and reinvigorate contemporary interiors throughout the UK and beyond. We are proud to be celebrating our 2^nd year in business and are looking forwards to the many years ahead of creativity and innovation.

 Here are some pictures from my latest taster workshop on Sunday 6th of Feb

Fantastic results for novices after only 3hours.

Glass Panels before firing

Fantastic finished pieces.

Follow on sessions have already been booked.

Why not Book a Taster course, Gift vouchers are available Ideal for a valentine gift.

I should really promote myself as a juggler as that is really what I spend myself doing - too many things I should be doing, too many things I want to be doing and then all the other bits and pieces that need to be fitted in around them all!  Last weekend was mad and I achieved nothing on the glass front - on Friday evening it was off to my running club’s annual dinner (arriving late because the kids didn’t want mum & dad to leave), dinner, speaches, 10 minutes on the dance floor and then rushing home for an early night so that we can get up in the morning to pack and then set off for Wolverhampton to register for Tough Guy.  This was the Christmas present I had requested from my other half and Sunday was the event itself - cold, wet, muddy and painful but great fun. 

Home again on Sunday evening and just time to have a bit of a tidy up of my kiln and workshop before getting the kids to bed, having dinner and then collapsing into bed myself.  No lie in on Monday as it’s off to Busy Bees at the library in Hebdon Bridge with little Zachary and a day of domestic duties.  This frees me up a little for Monday evening to fire up the kiln to slump Amy’s first piece from the fused glass course in January - this is a lovely pink oval dish which came out on Tuesday evening and is beautiful.  Next to be slumped is a square red platter containing lots of coiled copper wire which went in on Wednesday night and looked great when I checked it at the top temperature.  Unfortunately by Thursday evening it had cracked -on close inspection, it seems that the coils of thick copper wire put too much stress into the piece as this is where the glass cracked - a lesson learned there! 

Tuesday evening was interesting as I went to The Arts Factory in Keighley for a Creative Conversation, an evening of wine, food, chat and networking.  They were looking for input into the use fo some new premises in Keighley so I had a really nice evening of writing ideas and suggestions on different pieces of flip chart paper, munching on yummy indian nibbles and talking to other creative people.  I had not previously appreciated that The Arts Factory offered so much in terms of support for local and emerging artists so I am looking forward to be able to get some help and support from them over the coming weeks and months.

Last week I had fired a full kiln of glass components and panels and these came out beautifully so yesterday evening was a session of cleaning them all of fibre paper and sanding the edges ready for their next stages.  I produced a trio of confetti flower panels which will each be framed and are the start of my collection for the British Craft Trade Fair in April and I am really pleased with them - just need to sign them all and mount them and they can be photographed and safely stored until then.  My three wavy hearts of glass came out beautifully and the next step is to tack fuse them onto clear glass and then mount them each in a frame.  I did a batch each of green and purple wavy glass pendants which still need a bit of cold working before heading back in the kiln for a fire polish - some more items for April. 

Tonight should have been spent doing more tidying of my workshop, but piano practice is a must as I am sitting my grade 8 exam next month and my preparation is not what it should be.  I had a piano lesson yesterday and whilst I don’t think I am heading for a total disaster, I really do not want to let myself down so close to finishing a long held goal. 

Pete’s cooking dinner at the moment giving me 10 minutes to write this blog and then I need to dash back downstairs to get the workshop ready for a stained glass course on Saturday.  It wouldn’t be so bad, but I have to fit in a day job on four days a week, which makes everything even more stressful and busy. Anyway, I’m off for a bit more juggling before dinner and bed, so I’ll see you later….