COTSWOLDARTS A moment of clarity

When her husband bought Amanda Lawrence a - kit 26 years ago, neither of them could have known the journey it would take her on.

Tracy Spiers went along to meet her Above: Mobbed by Amanda Lawrence Above: Ivy Tree by Amanda Lawrence

look at the tools in front of me and text in Stroud’s Museum in the Park. This change from spring to autumn. It will act as on a hand. This is her signature shudder. They look too familiar year marks the 100th anniversary of his a fundraiser for Gloucestershire Wildlife piece for her solo exhibition and is and I momentarily get whisked birth and many events have been organised Trust (GWT). a gift to GWT. I notice three red back into a chair I don’t like very countrywide in his memory. “It will be called the Tree of Wishes and, dots and wonder what this much. They are dentistry drill bits. But he was and is not the only creative to for a small donation, I will invite visitors to signifies. IAlthough the person using them is working be impacted by this glorious valley. Having write down a message of hope that they “They are three copper beech on an surface, it is for moved from city to countryside seven have for the environment. I will then trees which, when in full leaf, are decorative purposes, or engraving to be years ago, Amanda has discovered that engrave their messages on the leaves while so distinctive they can be seen Left: Dawn Over Slad by Amanda Lawrence Above: Amanda Lawrence at the drawing board exact, and the subject matter is a three- birdsong, patchwork fields, wildlife and I am in the gallery and add them to the tree from the air. I was fortunate to dimensional glass leaf, one of many she has woodland influences have crept into her as they are finished,” says Amanda, who have been given a glider ride for prepare the glass with an end product in Guild of Glass Engravers’ first president made for a special celebratory tree. studio. Natural forms and designs are will also run themed workshops in the my birthday by my mother-in-law so I mind, ultimately the kiln has the last say. who did many Royal commissions in his Amanda Lawrence is a well-respected glass strikingly reflected in her kiln-formed and exhibition hall to give people the know. Buzzards are the iconic bird of the “I can plan all I like, but once I put the lifetime. artist who lives in the beautiful Slad Valley engraved glass, whether they are vessels, opportunity to try their hand at glass work. Slad Valley and I had the idea of engraving glass in the kiln, I am never absolutely sure “I fell in love with glass on the spot. I – the same valley the late poet and author wall pieces or sculptures. She has also organised a second what it would see from above,” says what is going to come out. It can be better was in my second year of my law degree Laurie Lee so lovingly wrote about in Cider “It’s been an absolute revelation living exhibition entitled Inspired by Slad Valley Amanda. The piece was made by layering than I expect and much more exciting. It’s and apparently I didn’t stop talking about with Rosie with his insightful lyrical talent. here. It is the first time I have properly from June 21-29 in the village’s Holy Trinity and fusing different coloured frits (crushed like having Christmas morning every day,” it,” recalls Amanda, who whilst working as I met Laurie several times as a young lived in the countryside. I have never called Church, where Laurie Lee was a choirboy. glass) which she engraves before she exclaims. And the pieces that don’t a lawyer for 10 years, attended glass journalist and often listen to recordings of myself a wildlife artist, but I have always This will be part of The Slad Valley Festival, into shape. Amanda has also produced a come out as good? engraving classes before deciding to study him reading passages from this well-loved used animals and birds as a subject matter. an event-filled week long programme to sister piece in silver dichroic glass (two glass full-time. This valley has crept into my workplace. It help mark Laurie Lee’s centenary. It will colours) to depict the Buzzard’s flight by It is a long time since Andy encouraged has literally got under my skin and I feature work by around 20 Gloucestershire moonlight. { I fell in love with glass her by buying that first glass engraving kit. wanted to understand more about it,” artists and craftsmen who have been Having studied glass at Wolverhampton on the spot. I was in my Little did he realise the journey it would explains Amanda. inspired by the valley. University and the International Glass take his wife on. Today she is a master at This sparked a two-year challenge to “Our aim is to celebrate the fact that Slad Centre, Brierley Hill, Amanda specialises in second year of my law what she does and as she carefully and walk as much of Slad Valley as she could, Valley is as inspirational for contemporary kiln formed and engraved glass. She delicately practices engraving text onto recording sound, taking photos and making artists as it was for Laurie Lee. We think it combines these two skills to create her degree and apparently I one of the leaves for her Tree of Wishes, I sketches as she went to capture the is the first time anything like this has unique masterpieces. didn’t stop talking about it am in awe of her concentration and steady beautiful landscape from unusual angles. happened in Slad Church,” explains “They are not often used together, but to hand. With her visual and audio research, Amanda. my mind they make an excellent I only wish I could spend my money on Amanda has produced a stunning series of “I just thought if I have been inspired so partnership, each contributing something “I have to treat it as a learning a beautifully engraved piece of Amanda glass pieces for an exhibition The Valley much by this wonderful valley, there must crucial and complementary to the project. experience!” Lawrence glass rather than a dentist under the Skin, in the Lansdown Art be many more artists who are, so it Kiln forming enables large, impressionistic, It’s 26 years since her husband Andy crown. n Gallery, Stroud from June 17 until July 6. prompted me to organise something.” three-dimensional shapes, grabbing the bought her a glass-engraving kit – a clutch Alongside her glass sculptures, vessels What strikes me is Amanda’s quiet viewer’s attention. Engraving enables pencil holder with a diamond bit, tumbler The Valley under the Skin, takes place at the and wall pieces will be a selection of her confidence and clear vision. Her sketches detail and precision, drawing the eye in and some rudimentary instructions – for Lansdown Gallery, Stroud, from June 17 until photos, maps, sound effects, sketches and are worked on at the drawing board and a close,” explains Amanda, who is a member their first wedding anniversary. Amanda July 6 (10am-5pm Mon-Sat; 11am-4pm Sunday). an installation of a metal beech tree made shape is decided. She shows me a piece of of the Society of Designer Craftsmen and was then studying to be a lawyer, but had Inspired by Slad Valley takes place at Holy by local artist-blacksmith Ben Prothero on slumped glass depicting a buzzard with a the Contemporary Glass Society and a been to a retrospective exhibition of Sir Trinity Church, Slad, from June 21-29 (10am-5pm which she will hang enamel-coated glass map of Slad Valley covering its wingspan in Fellow of the Guild of Glass Engravers. Laurence Whistler’s work in the Ashmolean Mon-Sat; 1-5pm Sunday). For more information Amanda Lawrence with sample pieces of coloured frit leaves, depicting colours reflecting the delicately engraved lines rather like veins But although Amanda can plan and Museum, Oxford. Whistler was the British see www.amandalawrenceglass.com

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