The Yorkshire Post - Lifelong friend David Hockney
Peter Layton remembers his lifelong friend David Hockney
1955, Peter Layton, David Johnson and David Hockney in Edinburgh
Following the death of David Hockney, The Yorkshire Post spoke to our founder Peter Layton about a friendship that began in Bradford in the 1950s and continued for over seventy years. The pair, both raised in the city, met again as young men in London and stayed in touch ever since, with Peter recalling the warmth and ambition that marked Hockney even as a teenager. Peter, who recently appeared on Radio 4's Desert Island Discs, said he hopes a memorial service will be held for his friend, and that London should have one too.
Our Stories
Peter and Tim at the annual Glass Art Society Conference
Ahead of their trip to New York for the annual Glass Art Society Conference at the Corning Museum of Glass, Peter and Tim shared an insightful talk with guests at our gallery. In this special preview of the presentation they would go on to deliver at the world-renowned museum, Peter and Tim looked back on more than fifty years of creativity, craftsmanship, and community, sharing personal insights into the studio's evolution while also considering its future. From there, they headed to Corning, New York, for the conference itself!
Our Glass Community Reflect on Peter Layton
To mark fifty years of London Glassblowing, we asked artists, collaborators and friends to share what the studio has meant to them. Their answers span five decades - from first encounters at the hotshop to lifelong friendships. What emerges is a portrait of a community built around one man's vision, and the remarkable things that vision made possible.
Fifty Years of Fire: Celebrating Peter Layton and London Glassblowing
For half a century, London Glassblowing has transformed contemporary glass art - pioneering new techniques, supporting generations of artists, and establishing a studio at the forefront of innovation. This milestone year offers a moment to reflect, to reminisce, and to celebrate the extraordinary impact that has helped shape the world of glass.