Peter Layton - The 45th Anniversary Exhibition

10 September - 2 October | 2021

I want to say how delighted and indeed honoured I have hosted such an illustrious roster of British Glass artists. Many of them have enviable international reputations, and all of them make highly sought after collectible work.

Some of you will recognise exhibitors’ names from previous shows but it may be interesting to briefly describe their spheres of activity and working methods as a form of introduction.

Three of the world’s leading glass engravers are represented. Alison Kinnaird MBE, Katherine Coleman MBE and Nancy Sutcliffe are renowned for their inventive imagery and mark making.

Colin Reid, Heike Brachlow, Philip Baldwin and Monica Guggisberg are celebrated for their stunning sculptures.  The latter couple create large scale installations in Abbeys and Cathedrals, as have Louis Thompson, Sabrina Cant, Richard Jackson and Sally Fawkes (all at Salisbury Cathedral) and Layne Rowe (at St Albans Abbey and Ely Cathedral where he exhibited a large free-standing pair of wings).

Amanda Simmons, Cathryn Shilling and Kate Pasvol are well-known for their kiln-formed glasswork (fused and slumped). They explore entirely different sources of inspiration, subject matter, and approach with dazzling results, as does Max Jacquard, a caster and former winner of the grand prize at the British Glass Biennale.

Tim Rawlinson and Anthony Scala employ both blowing and casting techniques to create their outstandingly beautiful highly polished artworks. Sila Yucel, is a newcomer and definitely one to watch. She is currently apprenticed in our cold-shop at London Glassblowing, with support from Fondation Alcea - a foundation dedicated to preserving vanishing skills. Her interests lie in casting and coldworking, drawing upon her previous experience of 3D modelling and printing.

Another newcomer is Sophie Layton, an established printmaker who is turning her talents and experience to glass-working. She explores and reinvents the forgotten art of enamelling on glass to great effect, to make dynamic and colourful visual statements.

Among the glassblowers there are a number of familiar names. Blowing is the most immediate of glass making methods, and its potential in terms of colour form and texture seems infinite, but ever-increasing costs and dwindling resources suggest that it should be valued more. For more thoughts on this topic please see Andy McConnell’s essay ‘You don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone” in our book Past and Present. Bruce Marks, Hanne Enemark, James Devereux, Catherine Huskie, Laura McKinley, Liam Reeves, Neil Wilkin, Peter Layton, Rachael Woodman and Sarah Wiberley all created new work especially for this exhibition.

As a tribute to Sam Hermann, the pioneer of the British Studio Glass Movement, who sadly passed away in 2021, we included a small selection of his works made at London Glassblowing.

Last, but by no means least, we showed a selection of wearable glass art by Olga Alianova and Gina Cowen, both of whom make exquisite necklaces that would make the perfect present for a loved one.

Peter Layton

The 45th Anniversary Invitational Exhibition at London Glassblowing

10 September until 2 October 2021