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CLUSTER CRAFTS FAIR

Glass, a medium forcing the viewer to ‘take a closer look’ taps into the aspect of visual awe through light and abstraction. It’s qualities provide sensory engagement for the viewer allowing them to become an active participant in the work. Historically rooted within the realm of Venetian masters, throughout the 21st century, glass has seen a shift into the contemporary field. A material used widely in our day-to-day life, from car windows to glass lenses, its properties here are defined for functional use. Contemporary glass artists however, explore its functional application through a new light, through extensive material testing, glass becomes a material of ‘enchantment’ opening up a realm of possibilities both for the maker and viewer in sight.

Pause and look around you - you will see you are surrounded by glass. Perhaps not as extensively as ‘The Glass Room’ by Simon Mawer with a house built entirely of glass; but through many objects we often overlook. Take the window for example, a structure offering security and warmth, not only put in place for function, but through design, can offer aesthetic properties through stained glass techniques. Pinkie Maclure’s work is a great example of work that transcends the traditional approach of stained glass, rather, tackling taboo subjects and social commentary moving stained glass away from decorative abstraction, to serve an important social narrative for the viewer. A great book I would recommend that observes glass used in our day-today life is Object Lessons Series, ‘Glass’ by John Garrison exploring the history and multiple applications of glass in a whole new light.

Glass in many ways is seen as a fairly ‘niche’ medium of specialisation within the contemporary craft scene. One, I worked in for three years, specialising in coldworking techniques, it is a medium that takes many years of training to become highly skilled. For creative individuals interested in the field, it can be challenging to know where to begin. Here I provide a few of my insights into the glass scene.

The Contemporary Glass Society, otherwise known as CGS, brings together a collective of individuals with a shared interest or specialisation in glass. Platforms such as these, aim to develop a greater awareness of glass world-wide to celebrate a fantastic directory of glass artists. Their collective built up of members within the glass industry join together at a series of networking events providing a place to share ideas and build an ever growing glass community.

Here we shine a light on Glass artist, Juli Bolanos who centers her work around the idea of ‘play’. Her elemental segments of glass are pieced together in such a way creating objects of joy and with charm. Not only do her works shine with a unique style, but they tap into the idea of reinvention; piecing together glass from the hot-shop creating new life into glass otherwise thrown away. Juli’s ethos of finding beauty in the every-day, is something that really shines true to the current climate, and acts as an inspiration for artists and makers out there to view the objects around them in a new light.

Her current project #staycreative, encourage children and adults to get involved and showcase creativity through illustrative sketches and activities; creating a space for positive engagement as we look to stay indoors in the coming weeks. Juli states “The pandemic we are now experiencing has instead shown us the importance of connecting in this revitalising sacred space where we can self-regulate and heal from a place of joy.” For creatives who may feel disconnected during this time, even in the smallest of ways, creative projects such as this can pave way to support and reignite the creative community in a time when it is needed most.

We caught up with Juli to discuss further her inspiration behind #staycreative and the changes this current climate has brought.

-What inspired you to form your project #staycreative? How has this project supported those looking to be creative in this time?

At the beginning I felt very helpless and afraid of what was going on and in this situation, I started doing activities that soothe my system, drawing and painting is one of them. I started to share on my social media, and people started to respond.

So I started to think about how I could contribute and connected with Martha McNaughton PR from London, and we chatted and #StayCreative with Juli started. This is a series of free activities and drawing for an international audience to download, print or trace. The main aim is to invite people to join this calming space and regenerate from a space of joy and see things from a different perspective with a calmer mind.

-What advice can you offer for any creatives within the glass industry?

Stay connected, reach out. See how you can support someone else, even if it is an encouraging comment or sharing resources that could do a world of a difference. I think we can only exist as independent artists if we are a part of a strong community of makers. There is not one without the other.

Also, the structure as we know it is shifting and this can be very unsettling, but I am choosing to focus my energy on how we can be a part of a better system, one in which art / artists / creatives are seen and appreciated for our valuable perspectives, like every other career choice. We have the ability to think with our hands like our forefathers & foremothers (all the wisdom we inherit, see the possibility of materials and facilitate this transformation. We are part of magic We are trained for innovation and this needs to be invited into a more mainstream conversation for putting this new world together in a better way than was done before.

Through one of the easiest accessible forms of creativity, #staycreative reignites a community to create, draw and view our surroundings in a new light. If you are looking to spark creative energies, please do get involved!

In light of creative collaborations, we shine a light upon glass artist, Laura Quinn’s recent project. Over the past few weeks, she has begun testing bending glass through use of a tea light; in a time when many makers have lost access to their studio, this project provides accessibility into the realm of glass connecting the community. Laura states “During these uncertain times, words have been connecting us.” Her project invites participants to get involved to share words reflecting your time in isolation; these will be shared through a series of photographs where these words will quite literally ‘shine’ out as they capture the shadow the glass form projects. Get in touch with Laura on laura.quinn@gmail.com or her IG, @lauraquinndesign to get involved in her fantastic project ‘Words of isolation. Words of Connection’.

With my previous experience of glass practices, working in a glass studio over the past three years has provided me with a direct experience and awareness of the complexities of the material. Not just with the complex ‘alchemetic’ processes’, but with an insight that glass is mainly a medium produced through collaborative effort. Sat within the frame of ‘contemporary craft’, Cluster Crafts is looking to create further representation of glass within the creative community, our aim to widen the audience reach in the realm of glass. Over the next coming months, Cluster is looking to form an exhibition solely with a focus on glass. Referencing developments within the V&A glass collection, with a rise in contemporary works alongside historical pieces; at our next Cluster Crafts edition, we will explore the option of placing historical works alongside our contemporary glass exhibitors; a site unifying creative institutions with our contemporary makers.