Breaking Glass News May 2013
A few things in which we are exhibiting and to invite you to!
'Glass', Cupola Gallery, Sheffield from 3rd May to 16th June.
'Maker in Focus' at New Ashgate Gallery, Farnham, Surrey from 3rd May to 22nd June.
‘Our Favourite Things’ as chosen by the Guild staff so we are really touched and flattered that they want us to join them. This exhibition runs from 31st May to 7th July.
And good to see so many of you at The Affordable Art Fair in Bristol. Keep in touch.
Breaking Glass News Spring 2013
It has been a while since our last news so there is a lot to catch up on. Winter has been busy for us, with trade fairs, new galleries and exhibitions to prepare for.
Trade shows
We have exhibited at Spring Fair already and are now preparing for The British Craft Trade Fair in Harrogate. We had hoped, when we booked a holiday cottage for the week in Harrogate, that we would be enjoying a pleasant spring. We are taking our offspring and the dog so it will be something of a family affair. Well, best laid plans.
Pip's Park - Will looking very creative with Pip's wife and daughter
Commissions and making news
Will has just finished the Pip’s Park commission. The commission was to make a written poem into a piece of sculpture. The poem was written by the late Pip Youngman and Pip’s Park, Taunton’s new riverside park, has been named in his honour. Pip was not just a poet but a noted inventor as well as one of Taunton's greatest champions. His career was eclectic to say the least – as a young man he tried his hand at all sorts of jobs including being a shoe-shine boy. In World War Two he served in the 48th Royal Tank Regiment. Will came up with the idea of cutting a tree in half and then engraving the poem on different sheets of glass between the trunks………..you need to either pop down to have a look (it’s just behind the Taunton canoe club by the river Tone) or check out the link to our website. Pip's Park
We also have some lovely new eggcups made by Will, all completely different and very sweet; they are already proving popular in the shop and on our website. And some new lustred vases priced at £30 and pictured below. Perfect for Easter pressies?
We are also working on chandelier designs, but it is proving a tad problematical to get them looking just how we want. But watch this space as I am sure we will get there soon.
Gallery news
We have just had a great response at Affordable Art Fair in Battersea where we were showing with Coombe Gallery, Dartmouth [as spotted by our fan Judy] and are limbering up to show at Affordable Art Fair in Bristol with Tighnabruaich Gallery, Argyll, from 26-28th April. Hoping the snow has disappeared by then so Penny and Andrew have a decent drive from Argyll.
The eagle eyed amongst you may have seen that we now have glass at two new galleries, The Gallery at Waterperry Gardens, Oxfordshire and Riverside Gallery in Barnes, London. Both have a lovely and varied selection from our ranges and we are very excited to be supplying them.
Exhibitions
And now for exhibitions news!
We have glass in ‘Makers’ an exhibition at Redearth Gallery which opens on 27th March to 11th May in Bickleigh, Devon. Redearth is a lovely gallery right next to the mill. They had a devastating flood back in November and this will be their first event since then. Coffee and cakes on 27th and drinks and nibbles from 6pm on 29th . Well worth a visit if you are in the area. And especially on 27th!!
We have an exhibition of our Tableaux pieces at New Ashgate Gallery, Farnham in May. If you would like an invite to the private view please let us know, we would love to see you.
The Devon Guild have invited us to participate in their exhibition ‘Our Favourite Things’ as chosen by the Guild staff so we are really touched and flattered that they want us to join them. This exhibition runs from 31st May to 7th July.
And we will have a large Tableaux piece in the exhibition ‘Glass’ at Cupola Gallery which runs from 3rd May to 16th June.
Social Media
If you are into Facebook our gallery assistant Emily and our glass blowing assistant Caroline are doing a fantastic job with our Facebook page [Will and I felt that they would be better at this than us old fogies]. If you are not following us on Facebook you won’t know about our competitions. Just ‘like’ the photograph on our Facebook page for a chance to win. And well done to Sarah who won the last comp for the lustred egg cup.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Shakspeare-Glass/162215763290
Remember the more likes we get the more competitions we will be able to persuade Will to run! You can follow us on Twitter too, if you are a tweeter. I generally do that bit.
https://twitter.com/ShakspeareGlass
Wishing you all a Happy and relaxing Easter
PS we love hearing from you or seeing photographs of any of our work, here or abroad so keep in touch
21st Fun and Games
We had a great weekend to celebrate our anniversary. We had Will, Richard Golding, Roger Tye and Richard Glass all strutting their stuff in front of the furnace. A few lucky guests also had a go and there was plenty else look at, including loads of old work by Will, some very embarrasing old photos and lots of memorabilia. Thanks to everyone who came along - it was great to see you all. You can have a look at what went on - we've created a photo album on our Facebook page
We are always humbled (and that doesn’t happen to Will often) by the dedication and enthusiasm of people right across the board who avidly collect Shakspeare Glass. Whenever Will makes one of his forays into wider world he is always greeted by folk who are keen to know what he’s up to and who have pieces of his work that they treasure. In recognition of this, and in preparation for a very special occasion (which we have just revealed to current CC members), we are very excited to announce the launch of the Shakspeare Glass Collectors’ Club.
To join this select band, you simply need to be on our email distribution list and to e mail me to request your membership number. Among the benefits of being in this most exclusive cabal, you will receive a 5% discount off all future purchases from our gallery and website, advance notification of new products, demos and gallery appearances, as well as first dibs on any limited edition pieces that Will produces. Please send an e mail to me - tim@shakspeareglass.co.uk - with “Collectors’ Club” in the title line and I will send you back your membership number. Look forward to hearing from you!
Newsletter now on the racks
See Home page for full inf or e mail tim@shakspeareglass.co.uk
See you there?! The latest edition of our award-winning Newsletter is now available. If you’d like a copy please e mail me at tim@shakspeareglass.co.uk and I’ll have one winging its way to you in the blink of a send button. You’ll find out about glass fish, new products, new stockists and the launch of the Shakspeare Glass Collectors’ Club (more of which soon). Come and get it…!
Hot Stuff!
Will has been asked to take part in a very special glass blowing day on 10th March. Taking place at Station Glass, home to Will’s long-time friend and colleague Richard Golding, the event will see both artists “at play” in front of a live audience.
Station Glass is located at Shenton Station, between Asby-de-la- Zouch and HInkley in Leicestershire, and is on the preserved Shackerstone railway line. The “Hot Stuff” event starts on the 10th at 11.00am and entry is by invitation only. You can get yourself an invite to witness the fun and games through Richard and Sandra at Station Glass at www.station glass.com
This is a rare opportunity to see two of our pre-eminent glassblowers in action at the same time. It should be both interesting and a lot of fun. We would just ask those attending not to voice an opinion on who they think is the better of the two!
All the fun of the Fair
We’ve just returned from this year’s bun fight at the Bullring, otherwise known as the Spring Fair at the NEC, Birmingham. The Spring Fair is one of the biggest trade fairs held in this country, a truly huge parade of companies peddling everything from jewellery to stationery to all manner of tat and, in the case of a few hardy souls, glassware.
It’s five days of slog for exhibitors but also a really good chance to chat to potential new stockists and catch up with those shops and galleries already selling our glass. It wasn’t the busiest Fair we’ve ever been to but we had strong interest from a number of very large organisations and we hope to bring you positive news about them very soon.
In the meantime, if you’d like to peruse our glass and want to find a stockist nearer to home than our base in Taunton, have a look at the Stockists page. We’ve now got a good network of outlets right across the country and will let you know about the ones that joined us at the NEC asap.
Baby, it's cold inside...
It’s a glassblower’s worst nightmare. The furnace breaks down. And it’s also Christmas Eve. Disaster! Anyway, being the self-effacing character that he is Will tends to be rather off-hand about what this could have meant to the business and how much effort rebuilding this pivotal piece of equipment took. You only have to look at the exterior of the furnace, never mind think about the internal workings, to have an idea of what a project this was and what a challenge he faced to dismantle and then put back together the whole thing virtually single handed. Anyway, the beast seems to be back in good working order (touch wood) and congrats to Will for his Herculean effort.
I recently found time to talk to Will in some depth about what it took to rebuild the furnace and you can read his thoughts on our Facebook page – go to http://www.facebook.com and search for Shakspeare Glass.
Inside the Pyramid
An event to note for our friends in the North. Pyramid Gallery in York are holding a series of special events to celebrate their 30th anniversary. Saturday 28th January sees the opening of Thirty30, a show featuring 30 British jewellery makers alongside a selection of paintings, glass and ceramics, to include, of course, one Will Shakspeare. There is a long association between Shakspeare Glass and Pyramid and we are delighted to feature in the show.
Among the selection of Will’s glass you will find single wall tableaux in new colours (which look fabulous!), Seagrass and Flotsam from the Tresco range, goblets and pieces from Nougat.
Pyramid is a dynamic gallery set in the beautiful surroundings of Stonegate, right in the historic centre of York. If you are within reach why not have a day out, take in the exhibition and have a stroll round one of our loveliest cities?
For further information visit www.pyramidgallery.com
Canine Chicanery at the Open Day!
Even in these straightened times it was heartening to see the pre-opening queue forming, marking out the participants as arbiters of all that is tasteful and cool. Or perhaps they were just after blagging a gert big great bargain. Or both, I think most likely.
Anyway, there was no repeat of last year’s slipping on the ice although the mugs of coffee distributed down the line went down well. And the day was as lively as usual, with eager punters not only filling their metaphorical boots with bargains but also heading off with plenty of their pick of the regular Shakspeare Glass ranges.
My favourite moment of the day? Well it had to be when during the first-hour mayhem, Will and Kate’s beloved Boo decided that right in front of the till was where he wanted to lay down and snooze. People wanting to pay then showed great agility in treading over, around and past him, all the while trying desperately not to drop their purchases! Nobody even thought about booting the blessed hound out of the way! Priceless!
As always, huge thanks to everyone who came and supported us, somehow managing to drink us dry of a very large quantity of mulled wine! If you didn’t make it to the Open Day there’s still time in hand to shop the website and have your goods delivered in good order for the Festive. If you have any questions about ordering through the website please have a look at the FAQ’s on the Info page.
OPEN DAY
Gordon Bennett, it doesn't feel like a week since I was dispensing free wine and bonhomie to all and sundry, mind you - these things stick in the mind.
Anyway, chatting to our vainglorious presshound over an early morning coffee, he suggested that I pop up a few pics to remind people of the fun they had and to forewarn the uninitiates of the perils ahead.
LA Story
Pupils from Queens College School in Taunton recently jetted off to Los Angeles for a two week educational exchange. It was suggested that each participant should buy a gift for their host family. Apparently a tin of shortbread or packet of tea weren't deemed appropriate but a piece of nice, local, Shakspeare Glass was just the ticket! There is no truth in the rumour that Will is heading off to Hollywood Boulevard to schmooze the yummy mummies while checking that his work is being appropriately displayed.
New Stockists
We have added some new stockists to the roster which could be helpful as we all start thinking about getting festive.
John Noott Galleries are at 14 Cotswold Court, Broadway, Worcestershire www.john-noot.com
You can now find Shakspeare Glass in Woburn at Bedford Street Gallery, 2 Bedford Street www.bedford street.com
And in deepest, darkest Surrey our old friends at New Galleries, New Ashgate, Farnham www.newashgate.org.uk have added our work to their excellent collection.
Design specialists Rowen and Wren have a selection of specially commissioned Shakspeare Glass baubles displayed amongst their products – www.rowenandwren.co.uk
Irridising Chamber Comp
We were, as Valerie Singleton used to say, overwhelmed by the response to our recent competition.
We asked our adored mailing list recipients – what, you’re not on the list?! – what they thought was the purpose of the very high-tech piece of apparatus pictured below. We can now reveal that it is in fact the Irridising Chamber, with which Will produces his amazing new, and highly covetable, range of baubles (see the Quebec Ruby Lustre and Xmas Carnival Baubles on the Bauble page). The chamber, developed amid much blood, sweat and ripe language, works by spraying a chemical mix over the glass at a particular point in the production process. Precise details are encrypted and locked away in a vault at Shakspeare Glass HQ, for fear of details ending up in the hands of the KGB, FBI or WI . Irridisation is actually a process developed by Tiffany to give the surface of the glass the look of something which has been dug up from Roman times.
Many thanks to everyone who joined in and had a go.
Abbey Road
We have just finished our stint at the very lovely Muchelney Abbey, near Langport here in Zummerzet. This was part of Somerset Art Works, a scheme where artists across the county exhibit (and sell) their wares. We received lots of compliments about our glass which looked splendid in the setting of the Abbotts Lodging at the Abbey, especially with the sun shining through them. Apparently there are a few ghosts known to inhabit the Abbey and while Kate was on duty a book was mysteriously flung across the shop [a paperback!]. Fortunately the ghosts appreciated the glass and left it alone. Thanks to everyone who came to see us and to all at the abbey, especially Stephen, Alison, Andrew and Hilary, the long-suffering English Heritage Guides Curators.
