28- 31 May 2015 www.ifg.org.uk CONTENTS INTRIGUE INNOVATE INSPIRE Exhibitions Welcome to the 6th International Festival of Glass. Since its inception in 2004, the Festival’s aim has been to celebrate and showcase the work and innovation of the glass industry and makers; inspiring visitors to learn more about the area’s heritage and the skilled work of glass artists. This year, the Festival programme includes an exciting mix of lectures, workshops, exhibitions and family activities, as well as fantastic food and drink - making it an event not to be missed. 10 Retail Opportunities 13 Workshops & Taster Sessions How to Book Community Breath The 2015 British Glass Biennale includes dynamic and compelling work from over 70 glass artists living and working in Britain. Be inspired by their craftsmanship and imagination. Try your hand at glassblowing and other glass crafts through the taster sessions. Events Family Fun Come along and help us celebrate one of the most fascinating and diverse art forms around. We are certain that there is something to interest and entertain all ages. Ruskin Lecture Programme Heritage Programme Elisabeth Johnson Festival Project Manager www.ifg.org.uk Celebrity Doodles Demonstrations & Open Studios With makers and visitors from all over the world, the Festival embraces the international glass world, as well as having a focus on the proud local heritage of Stourbridge. Artist Programme @FestivalofGlass Walks & Tours International Festival of Glass Festival Venues Getting Around 2 Cover photo: Ayse Simsek & Heike Brachlow, WEB - image, Ester Segarra Emma Baker Idiosyncrasies Photo: David Williams 4 11 14 17 18 20 23 27 32 34 36 37 38 EXHIBITIONS The Festival exhibition programme is an eclectic and inspiring mix of contemporary glass art, created by both established artists and students All exhibitions are free and open 10am – 5pm daily throughout the Public Festival (28 - 31 May). Exhibition opening times outside the Festival will vary, so please check with the venue. During the Festival, exhibitions at Ruskin Glass Centre are free with a Festival Pass – passes can be purchased online at www.ifg.co.uk/ visit/buy-tickets. Day Passes cost £5/adult, £1/child (under 15) and a four day Pass is £14.50/adult. BRITISH GLASS BIENNALE 2015 The British Glass Biennale is the flagship exhibition of the International Festival of Glass. It is the UK’s most comprehensive selling exhibition of contemporary glass and features 122 pieces by 77 artists. From small sculptures to large-scale installations, the Biennale is a unique opportunity to experience the creativity and diversity of some of the UK’s top glass artists. www.biennale.org.uk Venue The Glasshouse Arts Centre at Ruskin Glass Centre Date 28 May - 28 June 2015 CUTTING EDGE: MODERN HUNGARIAN GLASS Showcasing the work of 17 contemporary studio glass artists from Hungary. A combination of stunning visual appeal and technical mastery. Venue Broadfield House Glass Museum Date 9 - 31 May 2015 21st CENTURY ENGRAVED GLASS Exhibition Of Contemporary Engraved Glass A selected exhibition of work by members of the Guild of Glass Engravers, including Alison Kinnaird MBE, Chris Ainslie, Christian Schmidt, Nancy Sutcliffe, Katharine Coleman MBE, Jimmy DenisonPender, Sandra Snaddon, Tricia Hilton-Robinson, Jan Studerus and Dominic Fondé. Venue Red House Glass Cone Date 18 May - 26 June 2015 GRAVUR ON TOUR Modern European Glass Engraving This small touring exhibition of 31 pieces of engraved art glass by some 31 EU artists, represents the diversity of contemporary glass engraving both artistically and technically; with work ranging from experimental to traditional, classic glass engraving. Venue Red House Glass Cone Date 18 May - 26 June 2015 CONTEMPORARY GLASS SOCIETY OPEN EXHIBITION Wish You Were Here; A Wall Of Glass Postcards Postcards have a long and fascinating history and are more than just words and pictures; offering a glimpse of another life, a renewed friendship, a shared joke… The Contemporary Glass Society has created a wall of over 150 glass postcards and they are all for sale. With thanks to sponsors Mark Holford and Craft & Design Magazine, and supporters Kilncare, Alan J Poole (People’s Prize) and John Agnew (First Prize) Venue Ruskin Glass Centre Date 29 May - 28 June 2015 Evy Cohen Wish You Were Here 5 Ruth Shelley Indian Intarsia Photo: Haydn Denman EXHIBITIONS BRUNTNELL ASTLEY CONTEMPORARY GLASS An exhibition by some of the finest names in contemporary glass art, with works from the Bruntnell Astley online gallery site and new unseen works in this ‘Pop Up’ gallery. Venue Wordsley Methodist Church Date 25 - 31 May 2015 6 GLASSHOUSE COLLEGE STUDENT EXHIBITION A mixed media exhibition of work in glass, wood and textiles created by the students of Glasshouse College, which operates alongside the Ruskin Glass Centre, giving young adults the opportunity to work with experienced craftspeople. This year, students have developed a range of craft products to sell at the Festival. Venue Ruskin Glass Centre Date 28 - 31 May 2015 THE GLASS CREW CIRCA 2015: A PINHOLE REVELATION Timeless images of glassmaking recreated by Glasshouse College students using a pin-hole camera. Inspired by images from the Dudley Archives and Local History Service Venue Ruskin Glass Centre Date 28 - 31 May 2015 RUSKIN COLLECTIVE From glass blowing, painting, fusing and stained glass to glass repairs, creative woodwork, stone carving, publishing and natural soap to enameling and textile workshops; the artists and tenants of Ruskin Glass Centre each share a piece of their work to create the Ruskin Collective. Venue Ruskin Glass Centre Date 18 May - 29 June 2015 COALBOURN HILL TIME CAPSULE: FINDS FROM THE ARCHEOLOGICAL DIG The treasures of the 2012 Nexus Heritage archaeological digs reveal the fascinating 300 year glass history of the Ruskin Glass Centre site; with glass finds from glass manufacturers Coalbourn Hill, British Lens and Glass Co, Webb Corbett and Royal Doulton Crystal. Venue Webb Corbett Visitor Centre (Ruskin Glass Centre) Date 28 - 31 May 2015 Photo: R Morton Alison Kinnaird Roses II Photo: Bed JohnofPlant EXHIBITIONS A CONSERVATION PIECE Working with acrylic paint on canvas, John Ramsell incorporates natural and abstract images in juxtaposition, to create a snapshot of a missed environment. His most recent work has explored tensions between symbolism, religion, and nationality. During the Festival visitors will be able to watch John using enamels to paint on glass - a chance to explore the qualities a change of medium can bring to an artist’s work. Venue Ruskin Glass Centre Date 28 - 31 May 2015 AMBLECOTE ECHOES An exhibition of contemporary glass, continuing the legacy of an innovative glassmaking centre. Venue Holy Trinity Church, Amblecote Date 28 - 31 May 2015 NEW BEGINNINGS A look back at the life of “To leave is to enter” - the glass mirrored gates created by artist Robyn Smith for the British Glass Biennale 2012 - together with new works created through upcycling, recycling and reconstructing.There will be opportunities to join in various Up Cycling Workshops both before and during the Festival weekend alongside the exhibition. Venue St John’s Church, Stourbridge Date 28 - 31 May 2015 8 SHADOWS AND DUST An audio-visual installation exploring ‘spirit of place’ of dormant buildings. Created by multi awardwinning singer, composer and visual artist Andy Garbi, the piece uses photographs taken of the patina developed over decades on hundreds of panes of glass at the Coffin Works (Jewellery Quarter, Birmingham) prior to renovation. Venue Red House Glass Cone Date 28 May - 6 June 2015 FUSION OF LACE AND GLASS A small, but eclectic and imaginative show of collaborative works by contemporary lacemakers working with glassmakers. Venue The Lace Guild Date & Time 28 - 31 May 2015 EXPLORE YOUR ARCHIVES: DESIGNS, DRAWINGS & DOCUMENTS A rare opportunity to view the glass documents and design books held by the Glass Museum and Dudley Archives & Local History Service; including the unique pattern books of engraver Joseph Keller and Modernist designer Keith Murray, as well as printed catalogues from the major firms of Thomas Webb, Stuart & Sons, and Stevens & Williams. Venue Broadfield House Glass Museum Date 25 – 30 May 2015 VOLUNTEER FOR THE INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF GLASS Like what you see? Want to be at the centre of things? Well you can be! The Festival would not be possible without our lovely volunteers and we are always looking for people to join the team. From stewarding to taking tickets, helping to spread the word about the Festival to catering assistance, there are all sorts of ways you can get involved. In return you can meet some of the world’s greatest glassmakers, make new friends and have a fantastic time. To Volunteer for the Festival, visit www.ifg.org.uk or email volunteers@ifg.org.uk Robyn Smith New Beginnings CELEBRITY DOODLES The British Glass Foundation (BGF) is bringing celebrity doodles to glass! A team of talented glassmakers will be creating glass art from celebrity doodles throughout the Festival and all pieces will be auctioned later in the year to raise funds for the work of the BGF. Nancy Sutcliffe will be working on a piece inspired by a doodle by Raymond Blanc at Broadfield House Glass Museum, 28, 29, 31 May. The Glass Bandits (Tim Boswell and Elliot Walker) will creating a piece inspired by Maggie Philbin in the morning of 29 May in the Hot Glass Studio at Broadfield, whilst Lynn Baker will be there in the afternoon inspired by Emma Thompson’s doodle. Terri Colledge will be working on a piece inspired by Tony Hadley in her studio at Ruskin Glass Centre throughout the Festival. Georgia Redpath will be turning Wolves’ legend Steve Bull’s doodle into glass, whilst Jo Newman is taking on comedy legend Lenny Henry. Keeping it local, Steve Piper will be demonstrating the fine art of copper wheel engraving in the Cameo room at Broadfield on 30 May to realise Robert Plant’s doodle, followed by Vic Bamforth and Darren Weed who will be bringing Dave Hill’s (Slade) doodle to life on 31 May. Teresa Belmont and Terri Malcolm are collaborating on a piece based on a doodle from singing star Beverley Knight. Local schools have also caught the doodle bug with Broadfield House Glass Museum’s Doodle competition. Allister Malcolm and Melissa Nicholls will be transforming the winning doodle into glass for the Festival. 10 Robert Plant’s doodle DEMONSTRATIONS & OPEN STUDIOS A unique opportunity to see the most talented glass artists, from the UK and overseas, demonstrate their skills in a variety of techniques. Demonstrations will take place across all Festival venues over the four days of the Festival. A full schedule will be available to download from www.ifg.org.uk The Stourbridge area has been a major glassmaking centre for 400 years and there is still a thriving industry in Stourbridge today. During the Festival, the glass and craft artists based across the quarter will be opening their studio doors: the award winning Broadfield House Glass Museum, one of the major glass museums in the world with its hot glass studio and selling exhibitions; Ruskin Glass Centre and Webb Corbett Visitor Centre home to 18 studios and craft businesses with retail units to browse and an organic café; and Red House Glass Cone, one of only four cones left in the UK, with 12 craft studios, a hot glass studio and the Red Cone Coffee House. Stephen & Kate Gillies Jones Landscape Study Blue & Grey Photo: Peter Chambers 11 RUSKIN GLASS CENTRE DEMONSTRATION HIGHLIGHTS GLASS BLOWING • Dante Marioni (USA) • Janusz Pozniak (UK/USA) • Neil Wilkin (UK) • James Devereux (UK) • Ian Bamforth (UK) • Vic Bamforth (UK) • Stephen Foster (UK) • Pete Fricker (UK) • Malcolm Andrews (UK) • Christiaan (Chris) D. Maas (Netherlands) • Ondrej Novotny (Czech Republic) • Blowing the Churchill mould (also at Dial Glass Works during Factory Tours. See p33.) MURRINI MAKING • Penny Rakov (USA) PAINTING ON GLASS • Cappy Thompson (USA) • John Ramsell (UK) • Vic Bamforth (UK) FREEHAND GLASS ENGRAVING • Christian Schmidt (Germany) 12 GLASS FUSING, SLUMPING & CASTING • Lisa Pettibone (UK) • Georgia Redpath (UK) BOTTLES TO GLASS TESSERAE a new perspective on recycling • JanHein van Stiphout (Netherlands) ALFRESCO GLASSBLOWING A rolling programme of hot glass demonstrations under canvas from a variety of contemporary makers, as selected by The Glass Hub. Merlyn Farwell will also be demonstrating his energy efficient mobile furnace. PIElectronics The Contemporary Glass Society, Worshipful Company of Glass Sellers, British Glass Foundation, and Friends of Broadfield House are all bodies who strive to promote glass, glass heritage and further the interests of glassmakers in the UK. They are also valued partners and supporters of the Festival. Information about their work will be available throughout the Festival. THE GUILD OF ENAMELLERS AND THE BRITISH SOCIETY OF ENAMELLERS Visit the display of enamelling techniques and find out about the opportunities available to you, whether beginner or experienced enameller. Venue Ruskin Glass Centre Date and Time 28-31 May, display 10am-5pm with demonstrations at 11am and 2.30pm Price Free with Festival Pass GUILD OF GLASS ENGRAVERS Have a go sessions Venue Red House Glass Cone Date and Times 29 - 31 May Price £4.50 per person. A max of 8 per session and children must be over 8 years of age. Advance booking required, call (01384) 812756 or call into the Cone. RETAIL OPPORTUNITIES THE JOURNEYMAN Visit ‘The Journeyman’, featuring a range of beautiful craft pieces for sale, hand made by the students of Glasshouse College during their Contemporary Apprenticeship. Venue Ruskin Glass Centre and Glasshouse College Date and Times 28 - 31 May, 10am - 5pm Price Free with Festival Pass BEAD FAIR A truly unique bead fair with handmade beads and other handmade glass items not found on the high street. For further details please see www.stourbridgebeadfair.co.uk Venue The Bonded Warehouse Date and Times 30 & 31 May, 10am - 4.30pm Price Free CHROME YELLOW BOOKS Specialists in contemporary European art and craft publications, Chrome Yellow Books brings a specially selected Festival bookshop to Stourbridge. Venue Ruskin Glass Centre and Glasshouse College Date and Times 28 - 31 May, 10am - 5pm Price Free with Festival Pass PAPERWEIGHT DAY Paperweights take the spotlight on Sunday, with paperweights for sale by specialist dealers, a special exhibition of American weights by members of the Paperweight Collectors circle, and paperweights being made in the hot glass studio by Darren Weed and Vic Bamforth. Venue Broadfield House Glass Museum Date and Times 31 May, 10am - 5pm Price Free CONFIDENT COLLECTING Join Matt Durran, Guest Curator of the British Glass Biennale 2015, artist and Trustee of the Crafts Council, in a tour of the Biennale exhibition after hours. Gain an insight into ‘artists to watch’ and emerging trends. Venue Ruskin Glass Centre Date and Time 29 & 30 May, 5pm Price Free with Festival Pass, advance booking required THE GLASS BARGE A newly converted 70’ narrowboat, housing a workshop and gallery of fused glass jewellery, which will be moored at the Ruskin Glass Centre for the Festival. Venue Ruskin Glass Centre and Glasshouse College (mooring) Date and Times 28 - 31 May, 10am - 5pm Price Free with Festival Pass CHARITY CHILLOUT Enjoy a relaxing mini back massage or reviving aromatherapy foot massage at The Natural Soapworks. Donation of £7.50 for 15 minutes to Prostate Cancer UK. For more information and appointments please visit www.natroma.co.uk Venue: Ruskin Glass Centre (Natural Soapworks) Date and Time 28 - 31 May, 10am - 5pm Price £7.50 donation book through www.natroma.co.uk plus Festival Pass 13 WORKSHOPS & TASTER SESSIONS AT THE RUSKIN GLASS CENTRE Unless otherwise stated, sessions must be booked in advance. See www.ifg.org.uk for booking information. ‘HAVE A GO’ A GLASSBLOWING TASTER Have you ever wondered whether glassblowing was for you? If so, this is your chance to try it out. A two hour session designed to show you the basics of glassblowing in a small group. Your blown glass will be available to collect the following day. Date 28 – 31 May 2015 Age Range 16 upwards Price £24 plus Festival Pass STONE PORTRAIT CARVING FOR BEGINNERS Using an easy to carve sandstone, Philip Potter ARBSA will cover the basics of carving in 3d. The materials are included. Please note, stone is resistant, so a full day is recommended to get the most from this workshop. Date 28 - 31 May Age Range 12 and upwards Price £50/£90 half/full day plus Festival Pass Half day, £90 Full day plus Festival Pass BEGINNERS FUSED GLASS WORKSHOP Glass designer & maker Paul Floyd will teach the basics of fusing, cutting glass to a pattern and working with coloured sheet glass, frits and powders. Date 29 May & 30 May Age Range 15 and upwards Price £40 plus Festival Pass ENAMEL WORKSHOP Sgraffito on copper Learn how to prepare 1 - 2 copper blanks ready for coating with wet process liquid enamel, create designs (sgraffito) in the dried powder, fire in a kiln, and then add flux or transparent enamels. Suitable for beginners. Date 28 May & 30 May Age Range 16 and upwards; children under 16 can attend with a fee paying adult (lead free enamels available) Price £20 plus Festival Pass Festival Passes can be purchased online at www.ifg.co.uk/visit/buy-tickets or through the Festival Office. Day Passes cost £5/adult and £1/child (under 15). The Four Day Festival Pass is £14.50/adult. Photo: John Plant 15 WORKSHOPS & TASTER SESSIONS AT THE RUSKIN GLASS CENTRE Unless otherwise stated, sessions must be booked in advance Caroline Jariwala ENAMEL WORKSHOP Stencils & masks on copper Learn how to prepare up to two copper blanks, sift enamel powder, fire in a kiln, and create designs using stencils/masks & embedding beads, threads etc. Suitable for beginners. Date 29 May & 31 May Age Range 16 and upwards; children under 16 can attend with a fee paying adult (lead free enamels available) Price £20 plus Festival Pass 16 INTRODUCTION TO GLASSBLOWING WITH MARTIN ANDREWS Get hands on experience in the half day workshop covering the basics of hot glass making; gathering, shaping and forming; developing hand eye co-ordination and rhythm to turn, stretch and control the molten glass. No prior glass experience necessary. Date 28 - 31 May Age Range 16 and upwards Price £135 plus Festival Pass PORTRAITS ON GLASS WORKSHOP Working with Jo Gane, photographic artist and educator, create an amazing one-off ambrotype image on a glass plate….featuring you! Historic backdrops supplied. Feel free to dress up or bring props. Date & Time 29 - 31 May, half 29 - 31 May, half hour sessions Age Range All ages but children All ages but under 14 must be accompanied by an adult Price £15 per workshop plus Festival Pass THE WEBB CORBETT HERITAGE MOSAIC – PIECING TOGETHER THE PAST Come and help international mosaic artist Caroline Jariwala make a permanent, public, mosaic mural using Victorian glass shards unearthed during the archeological dig at the historic glass cones at the Ruskin Glass Centre, with Victorian glass factory pattern books and Caroline’s Indian heritage as inspiration. Free drop in activity. Date & Time Drop in activity, 28 & 29 May Age Range Children 8+ welcome but must be accompanied by adult Price Free with Festival Pass HOW TO BOOK Please book Festival Passes and tickets online at www.ifg.org.uk. For queries, please email admin@ifg.org.uk or phone 01384 399410 10am - 3pm Tuesday to Saturday, answerphone outside of these hours. Workshops and taster sessions are very popular, and we may have to limit the number of classes any one person can take in order to give others a chance to participate. Suitable clothing and closed toe shoes must be worn for all workshops. COMMUNITY BREATH Linking via Aurea Caroli in the Czech Republic and the Glasshouse College in Stourbridge, England Via Aurea Caroli means the ‘golden road of Caroli’ and it stretches from Nuremburg to Prague. In the fourteenth century it was of great economic and cultural importance for Bohemian glass makers and it is along this road that German pioneer, Wolfgang Gutberlet, is converting 5,000 hectares of newly acquired land for conversion to Biodynamic methods, as part of the Via Aurea Caroli Biodynamic farm initiative. 18 Community Breath is a collaborative glass blowing project linking the initiative with ancestors of the Bohemian glass communities and the Glasshouse College. The silica for Community Breath is from the Via Aurea Caroli farm and is mixed with limestone from Dudley; fusing the two communities together. This cultural exchange of knowledge, skills and spiritual vision of renewal in agriculture and practical arts, will feature a number of skills and techniques developed during the founding of the first Goetheanum, particularly in the areas of glass etching. Venue Webb Corbett Visitor Centre, Hotshop 2 Date There will be Community Breath Sessions on Thursday, Saturday and Sunday plus an exhibition at the Webb Corbett Visitor Centre throughout the Festival Price Free with Festival Pass www.warm-glass.co.uk Largest Art Glass Distributor in UK Main UK Dealer for Kilncare Kilns Bullseye Glass Preferred Partner Official Sponsor Sponsors of the The People’s Prize EVENTS OPENING OF WISH YOU WERE HERE Join members of the CGS and artists for the opening of the Contemporary Glass Society Open Exhibition; Wish You Were Here. A stunning collection of over 150 glass postcards; all for sale at £50, £100 or £150. Date and Time Thursday 28 May, 5.30 - 7.30pm Start/End Ruskin Glass Centre FILM NIGHT AT SCARYCANARY Our friends at ScaryCanary will be screening the 1954 Hitchcock classic Rear Window at their lovely upstairs cine-bar in Stourbridge town centre. Doors open at 7pm, film starts at 8.30pm. Admission is free but seats (especially the sofas) are limited so arrive early and enjoy a drink while you wait for the film Venue Scarycanary Bar, Stourbridge Date Thursday 28 May 2015, 8.30pm (doors open at 7pm) 20 SO YOU THINK YOU KNOW ABOUT GLASS… IFG Glass Quiz Night If you can tell your frit from your frigger and your marver from your carver then this is the night to show the world your glassy talents. Food, real ale, traditional pub games and all topped off with a fiendish quiz to test your knowledge of all things glass. Be sure to book tickets early to avoid disappointment. Venue Ruskin Glass Centre Date Saturday 30 May 2015, 8pm Price £12 (including meal), advance booking required WRITING ON GLASS: A PERFORMANCE OF NEWLY COMMISSIONED WORK West Midlands writers Liam Brown, Roz Goddard and Anna Lawrence have created new writing informed by site visits to the Glass Quarter, by glassmakers past and present and, of course, by glass in all its forms. Their brief is simply to write ‘on glass’. Venue Venue: Ruskin Glass Centre Date 31 May, 2.30pm Price Free with Festival Pass HAGLEY HALL; A LANDSCAPE UNPICKED “I wore out my eyes with gazing, my feet with climbing, and my tongue and vocabulary with commending” so said 18th Century historian and critic Horace Walpole when visiting the park at Hagley Hall. In its day, the 18th century Park was considered amongst the greatest of all English landscape gardens, inspiring the century’s most enlightened poets, writers and painters. Today, after almost a century and a half of neglect, a major restoration is well underway. In the process, Head of Landscape, Joe Hawkins, has uncovered fascinating evidence of forest glassmaking in the park dating back to the late 16th/early 17th century - perhaps the earliest yet evidenced in the locality. Join Joe on a tour of the landscape, as he discusses his recent discoveries and explains the way in which the Park was originally conceived to affect the senses, provoke different moods and inspire the imagination. After the tour, retire to the sumptuous Rococo interior of the Hall and enjoy an evening of food, music and words. Venue Hagley Hall and Park Date Friday 29 May 2015, 7pm Price £29.95 per person (advance booking required) Hagley Hall FAMILY FUN DAYS Children of all ages are mesmerised by the magical process of hot glass making. The Glass Festival not only has plenty of opportunities to watch glass makers in action, but there are lots of great hands-on activities to have a go at too. Here is just a brief roundup of family events and activities over the Festival weekend in the Stourbridge Glass Quarter. BROADFIELD HOUSE GLASS MUSEUM THURSDAY 28, FRIDAY 29 AND SUNDAY 31 MAY Talented engraver Nancy Sutcliffe will be demonstrating the modern art of drill engraving from 10.30am – 1pm. FRIDAY 29 MAY: FAMILY FUN DAY Have fun and frolics on the lawn at Broadfield House with our family friendly event. Youngsters can enjoy donkey rides, falconry displays, crafty workshops and story-telling – they can even clamber aboard a real fire engine! There will be entertainment, charity stalls, ice-cream and hot pork sandwiches, as well as amazing hot-glass demonstrations by The Glass Bandits and Lynn Baker. Admission is free but charges apply to some activities. EVENTS FUN AUCTION WITH WILL FARMER A firm favourite with Festival visitors - a great spectacle and a chance to bid for your own heirloom of the future. Will Farmer, Director of Fieldings Auctioneers (and our favourite expert on BBC Antiques Roadshow), will once again take to the gavel, bringing plenty of fun and expertise to the occasion. Raising vital funds, the auction brings the 22 four days of the Festival to a close with an exciting event where artists can sell work and bidders can bag themselves a bargain. Venue Ruskin Glass Centre Date Sunday 31 May 2015, 3.30pm Price Free - Festival Pass not required for those arriving after 3.30pm FESTIVAL CHOIRS AT RUSKIN GLASS CENTRE The Got 2 Sing Community Choir will be performing uplifting, toetapping songs on Saturday 30 May, followed on Sunday 31 May by Stream of Sound, a community of young a Capella singers who revel in the variety of haunting harmonies and energetic rhythms from around the world. All performances are free with Festival Pass SATURDAY 30 MAY: MAKE YOUR MARK Flint-knapper Karl Lee, will demonstrate how to make primitive tools from modern materials such as glass bottles and glass blocks. Arrowheads, cutting blades and scrapers are some of the tools used by indigenous peoples, which would originally have been made from stone, such as flint. FAMILY EVENTS AT RUSKIN There will be all sorts of opportunities for children to design and make themselves - from sandblasting a piece of glass with your name or design with Kevin Barry Crystal (from £3.50 a piece) to trying out sandblasting or glass painting on tea lights, hanging discs or coasters with Stourbridge Glass Engravers (£4.50), to designing your own cut glass with Andy Cope (£2 per glass). Why not do a drop-in workshop in leather, felt or willow at the Zodiac Courtyard Children’s Crafts (£1 per half hour session). Don’t forget your Festival Pass. THE FETCH THEATRE COMPANY Banraku Puppet Workshops Try your hand at being a puppeteer in this interactive Banraku puppets workshop, based on characters from the city of Lahore. 24 poemcetamols and other poetic pills and treatments from the Cold Comfort Pharmacy. There are skulls, jars of eyeballs and other body parts inside the ambulance too. Dates 28, 29, 30 & 31 May Age range 12 upwards Price £3 per person plus Festival Pass Dates 29 & 30 May, 12noon - 1pm and 3 - 4pm Age range 7 years and over Price £2 per person plus Festival Pass Dates 28, 29 & 30 May Times 10am - 5pm each day Age range All Price Free with Festival Pass Emergency Poet kindly sponsored by Pridewater Estates Ltd EMERGENCY POET A mix of the serious, the therapeutic and the theatrical, the Emergency Poet offers free consultations inside her ambulance and prescribes poems as cures. In the waiting room Nurse Verse dispenses TWEETABUBBLE Your chance to try blowing a glass bubble with the help of Merlyn Farwell (and his team); the prolific, eccentric, pioneering inventor and his amazing portable glass studio. Tweet a picture of you with your bubble and the most retweets by the end of the Festival will be awarded a magnificent prize! FESTIVAL POET Emma Purshouse, performance poet, writer and comedienne will be our first ever Festival Poet. Look out for her random acts of poetry and help her write the definitive 2015 Festival Poem. Effortlessly comedic and unpretentious, Nutkhut’s stilt walking characters resonate with audiences of all ages by injecting an iconic twist into the everyday and familiar. The Princesses may be draped in stunning jewels and silks, but don’t expect these down-to-earth divas not to have an eye for high street bargains and cute boys amongst charmed and chuckling crowds. Venue Ruskin Glass Centre and Glasshouse Arts Centre Dates 30 May Price Free with Festival Pass STILT PRINCESSES RED HOUSE GLASS CONE FAMILY DAYS AT THE CONE Knights in Armour SATURDAY 30 - SUNDAY 31 MAY 10AM - 5PM The cone is stepping back in time this Festival. We’re going all medieval with the Guild of the Blessed St Edmund and discovering knights in armour and the chance to learn all about the medieval life, together with family friendly medieval themed crafts from Juniors at Museums. DEMONSTRATIONS AT THE CONE 28 May: Charlotte Hughes Martin and Caroline Scully 29 May: Ian MacDonald 30, 31 May: The Bandits of Glass An eclectic mix of glass technicians, students, former factory workers and glass maestros - will share the techniques of glassmaking from Roman times through to the present day, with demonstrators from Elliot Walker, Tim Boswell, Nicky Steel, students from Canterbury Stained Glass Department, Layne Rowe, Malcolm Andrews, Stephen Foster and students from Wolverhampton University. All glass made throughout the weekend will be donated to the British Glass Foundation and auctioned at a later date. There will be an exhibition of work by all those involved in the Bandits of Glass demonstrations on 30 and 31 May in the Map Room Gallery during the Festival. RUSKIN LECTURE PROGRAMME All lectures are held at the Ruskin Glass Centre and Glasshouse Arts Centre and are free with your Festival Pass (except where otherwise indicated) – just turn up and enjoy. Times and dates are published in good faith, however are subject to change. Thursday 28 May 2015 COMMUNITY BREATH Aonghus Gordon, Founder and Executive Chair, Ruskin Mill Trust and Paul Gawden, Principal Glasshouse College, open the Festival with a presentation about Community Breath, a collaborative glassblowing project which links the Via Aurea Caroli in the Czech Republic and Glasshouse College. Time: 10am Community Breath event in Hotshop 2 at 10.45am THE SPANISH CONTEXT AND THE WORK OF MAVA Maria Luisa Martinez, Director of the Museo de Arte en Vidrio de Alcorcon (also known as MAVA) talks about MAVA, its collections and projects, within the context of the Spanish glass scene. Time 11.15am THE WORSHIPFUL COMPANY OF GLASS SELLERS LECTURE Colin Reid, winner of the 2012 Worshipful Company of Glass Sellers Art and Craft Award at the British Glass Biennale, will present on past winners and discuss their work and his own. Time 1pm I WAS DREAMING OF SPIRIT ANIMALS: 40 YEARS OF PAINTING ON GLASS Cappy Thompson from Seattle, Washington has been described as ‘the major practitioner of the art of transparent enamelling in the American Studio Glass Movement’. She is known for her reversepainted vessels, which have been shown and collected worldwide. Time 2pm PRETTY DEADLY Michael Brennand-Wood is a major creative force in the world of contemporary international art textiles, with a reputation for innovative and imaginative combinations of ideas and media. Time 3pm REFLECTIONS ON PRACTICE Keith Cummings has been one of the most influential figures in the development of kiln forming within the British Studio Glass movement. His books, teaching and a considerable body of personal glass works have inspired students worldwide Time 4pm 27 RUSKIN LECTURE PROGRAMME Friday 29 May 2015 THE BOHEMIAN CONNECTION Charles Hajdamach is one of the top authorities on glass from antique to contemporary in the UK. Charles will explain the importance of key Bohemian artists and craftspeople and the contribution they made to the crystal industry in Stourbridge. Time 11am AN AMERICAN APPROACH TO STUDIO ART GLASS Dante Marioni’s flawlessly executed blown glass forms are intensely individual and instantly recognisable; combining a deep reverence for the history and tradition of glassmaking, with a masterful and distinctly modern sense of design. Time 12noon Saturday 30 May 2015 CGS LECTURE: GLASS IN PUBLIC ART; CRAFT OR FINE ART? Architectural Art Glass has had a very long tradition. Barbara Derix explores examples of public art and the integration into architectural contexts. Time 2pm EUROPEAN GLASS EXPERIENCE: OPTIONS AND ECONOMY IN CONTEMPORARY GLASS An informative and entertaining talk from Cornelia Lauf, Scientific Director of the European Glass Experience (EGE), including the process of curating an exhibition in four countries and bringing together artists from around the EU with glass masters on Murano. Time 3pm “I SEE YOUR ONE CONE AND RAISE YOU FOUR”: ARCHAEOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS AT GLASSHOUSE COLLEGE, AMBLECOTE. Kate Churchill of Nexus Heritage will describe the fascinating process of uncovering the 300 year glass making history of the Ruskin Glass Centre site. Time 10am THE BOHEMIAN CONNECTION: JIŘÍ HARCUBA A LIFE Ronald Pennell explores the life and works of the late Czech artist and teacher, Jiří Harcuba. Wellknown for his mastery in cutting and engraving, Jiří Harcuba was an instructor for many years at the Academy of Applied Arts and founded the Dominik Biman School in the Czech Republic. Time 12noon THE SUM OF ALL THESE PARTS Neil Wilkin believes that glassmaking skills are paramount to the design and concept of any glass work. Using components, THE JOHN SANDERS MEMORIAL LECTURE Benjamin Richardson “The Father Of The Glass Trade” And The Wordsley Flint Glassworks. Jason Ellis, author of “Glassmakers of Stourbridge and Dudley 16122002”, gives an illustrated talk about Benjamin Richardson. Time 11am cleverly engineered with stainless steel to form his beautiful glass art sculptures and chandeliers, Neil uses both lamp worked, furnace and pickup styles of hot glass. Time 1pm ALTERNATIVES JanHein van Stiphout has taken part in international glass festivals and exhibitions across Europe. In this lecture, he talks about his eclectic and experimental practice. Time 2pm GUILD OF GLASS ENGRAVERS SPRING LECTURE: KATHERINE COLEMAN - A FUTURE FOR GLASS ENGRAVING Katharine Coleman MBE will be giving the Guild of Glass Engravers’ annual Spring Lecture. Further information and tickets from www.gge.org.uk Time 2.30pm CGS LECTURE: GLASS IN PUBLIC Kate Churchill (Please note the venue for this lecture is the Red House Glass Cone) 29 RUSKIN LECTURE PROGRAMME Saturday 30 May 2015 (cont.) Sunday 31 May 2015 FURNACE ADVENTURE “Between the attitude of Morris and the altitude of Tagliapietra, and probably taking the measure of both, is the witty commentary of Janusz Pozniak”. Time 3pm WHISKERS ON KITTENS: LECTURE AND BOOK LAUNCH Certain to be entertaining and informative Graham Fisher MBE, author, canal and glass enthusiast and friend of the Festival, will take us on a canter through some of his favourite (glass) things, before revealing an unorthodox twist in support of the Stourbridge Glass industry. Time 10am MURRINI - AN ART OF PAST AND PRESENT Penelope Rakov, a professor at Tyler School of Art, fell in love with the techniques of creating Murrini. She regularly teaches classes at Hot Soup Glass studio and The Goggle Works and continues to develop her technique. Time 4pm 30 ENGRAVED IN GLASS; GLASSMAKERS AND THEIR GRAVESTONES “The English do gloom very well; and there is nothing gloomier than a good old English Churchyard”. Nick Baker draws together the research of a number of local experts and presents illustrations of the grave monuments to Stourbridge glassmakers. Time 11am FALLING Lisa Pettibone’s sculptures examine man’s complex relationship with nature and reveals elemental forces such as gravity, growth and optical illusion through manipulating kiln-formed glass. Time 12noon SLIDE SHOW Christian Schmidt studied the craft of engraving at the State Glass School in Zwiesel, Bavaria and has run his own engraving workshop since 1986. He is also an illustrator, painter, musician, singer and actor and has exhibited and collected worldwide. Time 1pm THE CHURCHILL SCREEN AND THE WORK OF EDWARD BAINBRIDGE COPNALL Steve Field and David Lewis give a fascinating insight into the works of Edward Bainbridge Copnall, and in particular the 40 x 10 foot glass screen installed to commemorate the death of Winston Churchill. This lecture will be followed at 2.30pm by a demonstration of mould blowing in Hotshop 1, using an original Webb Corbett mould of Churchill’s head. These limited edition glass busts will be auctioned by Will Farmer at the Fun Auction at 3.30pm. Time 1.30pm Installation of Churchill Screen c 1969. Photograph courtesy of David Lewis HERITAGE PROGRAMME FILM SCREENINGS: Kids in the Cone and Kids on the Cut - Two Young Roots Productions The premiere of ‘Kids in the Cone’; a film based on historical accounts from the 1860s of the brutal working conditions of Victorian children, who laboured in glassworks in the Stourbridge area and acted by students of Glasshouse College, which now stands on the site of the Coalbourn Hill works. The film is a companion piece to ‘Kids on the Cut’, a Young Roots’ film about children living and working on the canals in the 19th century. Venue Ruskin Glass Centre and Glasshouse College Date 28 May 2015, 12-1pm Price Free with Festival Pass Filming inside the Shrower at Red House Glass Cone DIAL GLASS WORKS (TUDOR CRYSTAL) FACTORY TOUR Home of Tudor Crystal and Plowden & Thompson, the Dial Glass Works with its canal side location, is the last remaining working factory cone in the Stourbridge area. The Churchill bust will blown during the tour. Date and Time 28 May, 10am, 11am and 12 noon Start/End Dial Glass Works Price Free of Charge (numbers limited) Closed toed shoes essential. WEBB CORBETT VISITOR CENTRE The Webb Corbett Visitor Centre is located in the Bottom Glassworks of the Ruskin Glass Centre, known as the ‘Caves’. The Centre tells the story of glass production and the heritage and social history that existed within the factory and glassmaking quarter. The permanent exhibition has been enriched for the Festival by an amazing collection of Webb family artefacts on public show for the first time and on loan from Mrs Barbara Webb. Items include a pattern book with hand drawn sketches by Edward Webb c1850, two gold medals won by Thomas Webb at the Paris Exhibition and an original illuminated address given to Thomas Webb before leaving for an Australian visit in 1878, signed by some of the most noted glassworkers of the period. Also on display is the newly installed Sankey Window, saved from a skip by vigilant Amblecote historians and restored to its former glory (with the support of Dudley Council’s community fund) by stained glass artist Paul Floyd. Venue Ruskin Glass Centre and Glasshouse College Date 28-31 May 2015 Price Free with Festival Pass GLASS ARCHEOLOGY ROADSHOW During the Festival bring along any piece of glass you have uncovered in your garden or allotment for identification by one of the country’s leading Archaeologists. Kate Churchill, lead Archaeologist during the recent dig at Glasshouse College, will be available throughout the festival to identify your treasures. Kate will also give a one hour presentation at 10am on Saturday 30 May detailing the schedule of the dig with its involvement with the community volunteers and the team from Nexus Heritage. Venue Venue: Ruskin Glass Centre Date 28-31 May 2015 Price Free with Festival Pass 33 PROFESSIONAL ARTIST PROGRAMME There are some activities that will be of particular interest to professional artists and students - a chance to network with your peers, pick up tools and materials at bargain prices, seek advice from experts, listen to talks by some great artists and practitioners and to learn about international glass projects. PLOWDEN & THOMPSON CLEARANCE SALE An amazing clearance sale of all Plowden & Thompson coloured rods and powders with discounts of up to 90%, plus 25% off selected stock from the Reichenbach range of coloured sticks, rods, foils and grain. Date and Time 28 & 29 May, 10am - 5pm; 30 May, 9.30am - 4.30pm (closed 31 May) Venue Dial Glass Works, Factory Shop CGS FESTIVITY CGS Board invites its members to come and celebrate eighteen years of the Society. We want to say thank you for helping us develop into the vibrant organisation we are today. This is a members’ event but we also welcome anyone wanting to join CGS on the night. Drinks and light refreshments available. Date and Time 29 May, 6 - 8pm Venue Ruskin Glass Centre Price Free (entry to Ruskin Glass Centre after 5pm is free of charge) CGS TABLE TOP SALE Bring your unwanted materials & equipment along, they might be just what someone else is looking for and at the same time have a rummage yourself. If you would like to participate please contact admin@cgs.org.uk Date and Time 30 May, 10 - 11am Venue Ruskin Glass Centre Price Free with Festival Pass CGS AGM Everyone welcome but a must for CGS members Date and Time 30 May, 11am 12noon Venue Ruskin Glass Centre Price Free with Festival Pass MEET THE SCOTTISH GLASS SOCIETY The Scottish Glass Society, formed in 1979, was established to promote the development of the art and craftsmanship of glass making in its many variations in Scotland. Members of the Scottish Glass Society will be on hand with information about their current projects, examples of members’ work and catalogues from recent exhibitions. So please come along and chat to us. www.scottishglasssociety.com Date and Time 30 May, 1.30 - 2.30pm Venue Ruskin Glass Centre Price Free with Festival Pass DERIX ARTIST SURGERY Since 1866, Derix Glass Studios (Germany) has been working with art in glass - traditional and contemporary; interior and exterior; ecclesiastic and public buildings; restoration, construction and project management. Derix is working to take Art in Glass to the world of mainstream fine art. Open for artists, architects, restoration specialists, private and corporate clients, the Derix Artist surgery is an opportunity to discuss and seek advice on your own public art glass projects. Barbara Derix and Elke Westen will offer their expertise and know-how, acquired over many years of working with glass, to independent artists working with architectural spaces and light aspects. Date & Time Saturday 30 May, individual sessions of 15 minutes with either Barbara Derix or Elke Western between 3 - 5pm Venue Ruskin Glass Centre Price Free with Festival Pass Book your session online or at the Festival Office on the day. Work in Derix Glasstudios 35 WALKS & TOURS NEW JEWELS ON THE CUT Take a walk along the Crystal Mile and learn about Stourbridge’s rich glass making heritage from the perspective of the life blood of the industry; its canal network. Together with an overview of plans to transform the former Stuart Crystal glassworks into a new world-class glass facility. Date and Time Friday 29 May, meet 12.45pm, walk starts 1pm Start Canal Street by the Bonded Warehouse End Red House Glass Cone Guide Graham Fisher Price £3.75 adults/children free (visit www.ifg.org.uk for booking information) HOLY TRINITY WORDSLEY OPEN CHURCH Local expert John Levett will share the fascinating history of the stained glass at Holy Trinity Church in Wordsley and the associated social history of the glassmakers memorialised. 36 Venue Holy Trinity, Wordsley Date and Time 28 - 31 May, 10am - 5pm (apart from 1 - 2pm on Saturday and Sunday Service) Price Free GLASSMAKERS AND GRAVEYARDS WALKS Join our local experts for a guided tour of local churchyards and cemeteries where famous, and not so famous, glassmakers lie. All of the walks are free of charge and take approximately 1.5 hours. Simply turn up at the start of the walk (but note that numbers are limited). More information at www.ifg.org.uk KINGSWINFORD: ST. MARY’S CHURCHYARD Date and Time Thursday 28 May, 12 noon Start/End St Mary’s Churchyard, Kingswinford Guide Nick Baker WORDSLEY: HOLY TRINITY CHURCHYARD Date and Time Thursday 28 May, 2pm Start/End Holy Trinity Churchyard, Wordsley Guide John Levett OLDSWINFORD: ST. MARY’S CHURCHYARD Date and Time Friday 29 May, 12noon Start/End St Mary’s Churchyard, Oldswinford Guide Roy Peacock AMBLECOTE: HOLY TRINITY CHURCHYARD Date and Time: Friday 29 May, 2pm Start/End Holy Trinity Churchyard, Amblecote Guide Nick Baker STOURBRIDGE CEMETERY Date and Time Saturday 30 May, 1pm Start/End Outside the Cemetery Chapel Guide Ian Williams VENUE INFORMATION RUSKIN GLASS CENTRE, GLASSHOUSE ARTS CENTRE & GLASSHOUSE COLLEGE The main Festival site – home to an array of glass and craft studios. Location of the British Glass Biennale. Address Wollaston Road, Amblecote, Stourbridge, West Midlands, DY8 4HF Tel 01384 399410 Email admin@ifg.org.uk BROADFIELD HOUSE GLASS MUSEUM Home to one of the best glass collections in the world. Location of Cutting Edge; Contemporary Hungarian Glass exhibition, archives displays and family activities. Address Compton Drive, Kingswinford, West Midlands, DY6 9NS Tel 01384 812745 Email glass.museum@dudley.gov.uk RED HOUSE GLASS CONE One of the four remaining original glass cones in the UK. Exhibitions, events, workshops and open studios. Address High Street, Wordsley, Stourbridge, West Midlands, DY8 8AZ Tel 01384 812750 Email redhouse.cone@dudley.gov.uk WORDSLEY METHODIST CHURCH Location of Bruntnell Astley Contemporary Glass Exhibition Address Stream Road, Kingswinford, DY6 9NP DIAL GLASS WORKS A truly fascinating place and one of the last working glass factories in Stourbridge – home to the Plowden & Thompson and Tudor Crystal brands. Factory Tours. Address Tudor Crystal, Dial Glassworks, Stewkins, Stourbridge, West Midlands, DY8 4YN BONDED WAREHOUSE Historic canal side building where the bustling Bead Fair takes place, showcasing work by beadmakers and glass artists and suppliers. Address Canal Street, Stourbridge, West Midlands, DY8 4LU HOLY TRINITY CHURCH, AMBLECOTE Amblecote Echoes exhibition and Cake Station Address Corner of High Street & Vicarage Road, Amblecote DY8 4JA HOLY TRINITY CHURCH, WORDSLEY Stained glass tours, and graves of John Northwood and Daniel Hancox Address High Street, Wordsley DY8 5RU THE LACE GUILD Fusion of Glass and Lace exhibition and lace making demonstrations Address The Hollies, 53 Audnam, Stourbridge, DY8 4AE ST JOHN’S CHURCH, STOURBRIDGE New Beginnings Exhibition and up cycling workshops Address St John’s Road, Stourbridge, DY8 1EH SCARYCANARY, STOURBRIDGE Music venue, bar, art exhibition space and film night venue Address 108a High Street, Stourbridge DY8 1EE (upstairs) HAGLEY HALL Location of Hagley Hall; a Landscaped Unpicked event Address Hall Lane, Hagley, Worcestershire (Sat Nav postcode DY9 9LG) The Festival Office is open from 10am – 5pm daily during the Festival. Admission to the Ruskin Glass Centre and Glasshouse Arts Centre is £5 for a day pass (£1 for children) and £14.50 for an adult four day Festival Pass. Admission to other Festival Venues is free, although some charges may apply for some activities. Photo: John Plant SPONSORS & SUPPORTERS This year’s Festival has been a collaborative effort and would not have happened without the creativity and determination of the Festival Team: GETTING AROUND CAR PARKING Car parking is limited at Festival sites. You are advised to park in the surrounding area and then use the Festival Shuttle Bus or National Express services between sites. FESTIVAL SHUTTLE BUS Free Festival Shuttle Bus 9.30am - 5.30pm. Commencing at Stourbridge Town Centre, services will operate approximately every 20 minutes and will stop at clearly marked stops at each of the Festival venues - last shuttle bus service will leave just after 5pm. 38 BUS SERVICES In addition to the Festival Shuttle Bus, National Express West Midlands services 256 and 257 run from Stourbridge bus station (stand G) past all Festival sites. Day and discounted bus/train passes can be purchased; visit www.nxbus.co.uk/ west-midlands for more information. WALKING Most Festival sites are within walking distance of each other, with an approximate maximum walk of 20 minutes from one site to the next. Stroll along the canal for an alternative to the main road. BEFORE YOU TRAVEL… Visit www.ifg.org.uk for the latest information on venues, programme updates, changes to schedules and car parking arrangements. The Festival Office at the Ruskin Glass Centre will be open each day over the Festival if assistance is needed to navigate around the Festival sites. ACCOMMODATION For information about places to stay, visit www.discoverdudley.org.uk Elisabeth Johnson – Festival Project Manager Natasha George – Festival Programme Keith Brocklehurst – Masterclasses Matthew Durran – British Glass Biennale Curator Kate Goldenberg – British Glass Biennale Assistant Paula McElearney – Festival Assistant Ian Dury – Glass Heritage Officer Ikhlef Benkalai – Festival Assistant Janine Christley – Fundraising and Sponsorship Pattie Russell – Fundraising and Sponsorship Jackie Cooley – Masterclasses and Sponsorship Miranda Sowden – Marketing Amy Shaw & Jane Williams - PR Rory Smith – Catering Andrew Faulkes – Technical Assistance Mark Davis – Volunteer Coordinator Festival Information – info@ifg.org.uk Masterclasses – masterclasses@ifg.org.uk Marketing – marketing@ifg.org.uk Biennale – info@biennale.org.uk Supporters Alan J Poole, Merlyn Farwell and PIElectronics, Mark Holford, Glassworks Services Limited, Peter and Ann Layton & London Glassblowing, craft&design Magazine, National Glass Centre Sunderland, Nick Baker, Hagley Hall Partners University of Wolverhampton, British Glass Foundation, Broadfield House Glass Museum, Red House Glass Cone, Writing West Midlands, Friends of Broadfield House, Fieldings Auctioneers, Stourbridge Bead Fair, UK Guild of Glass Engravers, Plowden & Thompson, The Lace Guild, Holy Trinity Church, Amblecote, Holy Trinity Church Wordsley, St John’s Church Stourbridge Thank you to all our contributing photographers. Due to limited space we are unable to acknowledge everyone, so please visit www.ifg.org.uk for full photographer details. PIElectronics Crowe Clark Whitehill Geoff Hill Charitable Trust
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