A Touch of
Glass
Newsletter of the Creative Glass Guild of Queensland June 2018 Edition
A word from our new President
As I travelled down the But there have been a few speed Irrawaddy River in bumps on my path to taking up Myanmar in May, my the role. Shortly after arriving back from Myanmar, I had to infrequent wifi access have what I thought was routine brought increasingly surgery to have three sun anxious emails about the cancers removed from my face. future of the Creative Glass Guild. This proved to be a little more complicated, with the surgeon There was a looming possibility mosaic-ing my nose with various that the Guild would have to be bits of cartilage and skin cut from closed down following the various parts of my ear and face. inability to appoint a new Not a pretty picture! President and to satisfy the Big shoes to fill legislative requirements of Incorporated Associations. So I am finally able to step into the shoes vacated by Lyndall Halfway between Mandalay and Davies. These are big shoes, Yangon, I heeded the call – and Congratulations to figuratively speaking, and I have volunteered to be considered as Jan Bimrose, who to acknowledge and congratulate President. has put up her hand Lyndall on the role she has Aware of outstanding work played as President, and her to be President of admirable work in ensuring the Having been a member of the professionalism of everything Guild for some years in the past, the Glass Guild for being undertaken by the Guild. and having renewed my member- 2018/19. ship at the 2017 Exhibition, I am My taking up the reins is being only too aware of the outstanding Jan has stepped into aided and assisted by detailed work of the Creative Glass Guild briefing and wise advice by the in fostering, teaching, and the breach under 2018 Management Committee exhibiting the various glass skills challenging circum- members – Katrina Jackson acquired by so many members (Vice President), Denise Olsen over the long years of its history. stances, and looks (Secretary), Lyndall Davies (Treasurer), and Joyce Arnold. Strong belief was catalyst forward to the When I walked into the 2017 It would be a sad day if the Guild support and assist- had to close its doors. And it was Exhibition, I was so impressed with the creativity and high my strong belief in the work of ance of all members standards of the work on show, the Guild that prompted me to in her new role. that I immediately renewed my become the new President. membership. Cont on P2... A TOUCH OF GLASS PAGE 2
A Word from the President Over the years, I have taken (cont from P1) most of the courses offered by the Guild, including sand blasting, Lamp prize is a The 2018 Exhibition is fast copper foiling, fusing and approaching – and if the hive of slumping, leadlighting, lamp Prairie de-light activity in preparing for this is making, and the recent smalti any indication, this will be workshops run by Marian Many thanks to member Jenny another wonderful showcase of Shapiro. the work of the Guild and its Keys (pictured below) for her members. I look forward to I must confess to being an abject contribution of a beautiful lamp failure at bead making and, like a working with you to make it a as the raffle prize for our very successful Exhibition. number of Guild members, I have upcoming Exhibition. an unfinished stained glass Keen to meet project. The lamp is in the ‘Prairie’ style, a late 19th/early 20th century design As this is my first message to the Becoming President of the philosophy with roots in Chicago, many members of the Guild and Creative Glass Guild was not on and developed from the idea that to other readers, I am only too my itinerary for this year but I wide, flat, horizontal lines invoke aware that, while I already know am delighted to “step into the the vastness of the landscape, some of you, there are many breach” - but this has raised in particularly in America’s Midwest. others I have yet to meet. I look my mind the very real need to forward to that pleasure – and if “future proof” the Guild, to you see me around, please ensure that such a situation does introduce yourselves. not arise again.
Mosaics a passion One of my priorities is to initiate As I travelled through Myanmar, a process of strategic planning, I was captivated by the many to plan for a viable and exciting glass mosaics in temples and future for the Guild so the elsewhere, especially as mosaic valuable and rewarding work of work continues to be my passion, this organisation continues well followed closely by fusing and into the future. slumping. Best wishes, Jan Bimrose
FREE WORKSHOPS Published by the Creative Glass Guild We’re planning a permanent of Queensland mosaic tree mural for the external wall alongside Broncos 64 Fulcher Road, Red Hill Qld PO Box 14, Ashgrove Qld 4060 Leagues Club – and you’re US architect Frank Lloyd Wright General enquiries: invited to participate! [email protected] is the most familiar name in this genre. He designed his buildings Our mosaic tutor, Catherine, will Course enquiries: be running a series of FREE leaf [email protected] to look as if they had sprung making workshops for members T: (07) 3369 7322 naturally from the site. His only. There will be three (phone not always manned) furnishings were not only specific workshops – on Wed 4th July Website: to a building; he designated (6:30pm to 9:30pm), Thursday www.creativeglassguild.com.au specific pieces to go with
5th July (10:00am to 1:00pm) Workshop/Sales: particular rooms. and Sunday 8th July (2:00pm to Saturdays, 9.00am-12.00pm The lamp’s timber base, which is 5:00pm). But you must book General meetings: Bi-monthly on first sympathetic to the style, was into a workshop session in order Monday of the month at 7.00 pm to participate.Full details on how (Notice will be emailed to members). created by Carina Men’s Shed and donated by member, Roger to book are listed in the email Management Meetings: Alternate sent to members on 22nd June. months or earlier if required Appleby. Big thank you to all Check it out! concerned. A TOUCH OF GLASS PAGE 3
Jenny’s mosaic challenge brings out the best at Murwillumbah Art Trail 2018
Last month, Guild member and Tweed Valley artist, Jenny Sayer, issued a unique challenge to mosaicists in Queensland and northern New South Wales. The assignment - in conjunction with the 2018 Murwillumbah Art Trail - was to create a mosaic interpretation of one of Jenny’s Above: Jenny Sayer’s original Above: The winner: Catherine paintings (above left) which painting of Sisters Beach, Conaty’s outstanding ‘A Sparkly Tasmania—the subject of the depicted a coastal scene located Day at the Beach’. mosaic challenge at Sisters Beach in the Rocky Cape National Park region of Below: Kay Neilsen’s Below: Jenny Sayer’s ‘Low Tide’ north-west Tasmania. ‘Dreamtime Beach’ All up, eight mosaicists, includ- ing Jenny - took up the challenge, and the original artworks that resulted were as varied as they were innovative. The winner – as judged by Murwillumbah Art Trail visitors over a 10 day period – was our very own Catherine Conaty, whose entry ‘A Sparkly Day at the Beach’, (above right) featured a selection of iridescent, opalescent and tempered glass to recreate a sparkling coastal
scene.
Illustrated on this page and page 4 are Jenny Sayer’s original painting, along with the eight mosaic creations. A TOUCH OF GLASS PAGE 4
More mosaics from the Art Trail Challenge
What a spectacular mixture this challenge produced! Coordinator Jenny Sayer explained that because all entries were forms of mosaic, the majority used cut glass. But other materials included broken car glass, fused glass, wire, shell grit and sand, stones, shells, glass frit and in the case of ‘Treasure Beach’, jewellery, hessian, paint and crockery.
Catherine Conaty, who created the winning entry, borrowed John Sollinger’s signature fluid double reverse technique to create realism in her work. To produce ‘sparkly’ water, Catherine sourced windscreen glass from a wrecker’s yard.
After cutting and placing all her pieces in a temporary Pictured: Ian Dymock’s ‘Coloured Pictured: Jenny Sayer’s ‘Tide’ binder, she turned it over (no Sands’ easy task with a piece this size!) to reveal her mosaic, ready for its final touches.
Pictured: Jennifer Grainger’s/ Pictured: Glenys Fentiman’s Pictured: Susie Ross’ ‘Sister Jenny Sayer’s ‘Treasure Beach’ ‘Tidal’ Beach’ A TOUCH OF GLASS PAGE 5
Here comes the Exhibition — 21-22 July 2018
It’s hard to believe there’s We hope work is progressing well We also make a special plea to less than a month to go on your project for this year’s anyone who has completed a until the Guild’s Exhibition! Special Theme Award, in the leadlight window project in the category of ‘Poetry & Song’. past 12 months. If your window Last year we hit a record number There is a special prize for this is not yet installed (or easy to of people through the door and category, so get into it! uninstall), we would absolutely receipts for the Guild. This year, love you to put it on display, as Request information kit we’re aiming even higher, but we struggle every year to find we’re going to need your help. Any members who wish to new and different leadlight Even if you can only contribute a display/sell their wares at this windows made by members to few hours, please volunteer to be year’s Exhibition can request an display at the event. Information Kit by emailing part of the energetic and Promoting the Exhibition dedicated team that sets up, [email protected] staffs, manages and Our feedback tells us breaks down the that the best Exhibition each year. advertising for the Exhibition is word-of- Of course, your family mouth. You can help by members and friends sharing information are very welcome to with friends and family, help, particularly for and displaying posters the Exhibition setup (now available at the and breakdown. Guild!) at your work Over the Exhibition place and in your local weekend of 21-22 July, area. we also need a host of With your help, we can volunteers for the entry look forward to a very desk, to take money, enjoyable and sell raffle tickets, and successful 2018 Glass man the information Guild Exhibition! desk and demonstra- tion stations to show Above: Part of the spectacular For those new to the Guild, we who we are and what we’re all Exhibition display that never fails emphasise that we are interested about, etc. to impress visitors. in displaying works from all skill Below: Beadmaking tutor Vicki It’s your Guild, so don’t leave it levels of the various techniques Beldan demonstrates her skills to the dedicated few to do all the we teach at the Guild. heavy lifting! Beginners’ works wanted Sign-up sheets available If you are the proud creator of Sheets outlining the many your first mosaic, leadlight, volunteer opportunities between copperfoil piece, slumped glass Thursday 19th July and Sunday plate, sandblasted item, or 22nd July have been posted on lampworked beads, other the whiteboard at the Guild. members and the public want to Please sign up ASAP. see it!
If you are not able to come into Works by beginners are often the Guild, email us at those that inspire people to try [email protected] their first course at the Guild and and we will contact you. get involved. A TOUCH OF GLASS PAGE 6
Ken and Grahame’s Western Venture
I thought that a trip to A walk around town led us past Charleville would be a bit Guild members Ken the Hotel Corones which had of a hoot, so I volunteered many broken and missing to run a Leadlight and Ede and Grahame leadlight windows. We didn’t know it at the time, but one of Copperfoiling course Sawyer headed west the students in our course owned following a request to the the pub. Guild from The Charleville over the May long Cont next page… Cultural Association. weekend to run a I was lucky enough to have long time Guild member Grahame Leadlight & Sawyer offer to go along for the ride and help out with the course Copperfoil class in (just as well, as there were to be 12 ‘newbies’ involved!) Charleville. Here’s I had no idea how much time it Ken’s story—in would take me to organise all the bits and pieces needed. words and pictures... Lots of preparation Thursday morning before the As it turned out, there was a long weekend, staying overnight heap of preparation required, in Roma, and arriving in including how to safely transport Charleville around lunch time sufficient glass for the course on on Friday. the 750 km trip from Brisbane This gave us enough time to find along the Warrego Highway. our motel and check out the The solution was to construct a venue, the Charleville Cultural carpeted A-frame in the tray of Centre, before meeting our my Toyota dual cab, and remove contact, Allison. Above: Charleville’s Hotel the rear seat to allow more room Spacious workrooms for such things as lead came, Corones features leadlight grinders, tools and a box full of It took about three hours to windows, many in disrepair. copper foiled panels and my unload all the gear from the ute, Below: Class participants show special copperfoil faces. and set up in the workrooms, off their finished ‘beginners which were spacious and a With a full load, we left early on course’ creations. pleasure to work in. A TOUCH OF GLASS PAGE 7
Travelling West We had dinner that night at the Monday was finishing-off day, (Cont from page 6) Hotel Corones, with the owner and everybody seemed happy Bob showing us around. with what they were able to Bob, owner of the Hotel Corones, achieve. I was both relieved and He told us of his hopes of had enrolled in the course to get happy everything worked out as bringing her back to her former the skills to repair the pub’s well as it did, and we were able glory, and doing the leadlight broken windows. to finish up and load the ute by class was part of that endeavour. mid-afternoon. Like ducks to water Despite some initial ‘challenges’ scoring and breaking glass, the class took to it like ducks to water. I had been worried that they might have trouble completing a single project, but on the second day, I was asked if I had any more leadlight patterns, as most of them had completed their first project. The class members were happy to follow the copperfoil sun catcher patterns we had taken with us, and I also had taken a dozen or so pattern books from home to give them some more inspiration. Above: The Charleville class gets The glass class was not the only to work under Ken’s and Productive participants course the Cultural Association Grahame’s supervision. had going that long weekend. By the end of the second day, There were three ladies from the Below: Local wildlife looks on everyone had completed at least Auchenflower Spinning & two articles and some were even Weaving Club, running a dying more productive. course for twelve participants. I was really impressed with the Western hospitality quality of finished work, and hope we can take some credit for the Volunteers made lunch for us all results. in their well appointed kitchen, and the courtyard with shade However, I suspect most of them sails provided a welcome space had natural skills, being country to eat and chat. people who could turn their hand to anything. Charleville is a fascinating town,
and after class, Grahame and I visited the Cosmos Centre & Observatory as well as the Charleville Bilby Experience, home to one of Queensland’s rarest marsupials. In addition to the course, We had lots of good memories the bilby park proved to from our three busy days – great be one of the highlights people, good tucker and some of our western memorable experiences. Queensland visit. So endeth our time in Charleville. A morning walk along We made it home to Grahame’s the Warrego River place by about 9pm, after some revealed lots of local hours driving through heavy rain, wildlife, including some of which would have been Pictured: Ken and Grahame visit brolgas, mulga parrots really appreciated out at Charleville’s unique Bilby Experience, a and kangaroos which I Charleville. centre dedicated to saving the bilby. was able to photograph. Regards, Ken Ede A TOUCH OF GLASS PAGE 8
Howitzer Battery, 4th Division, in From 1955 to 1958, over six France and Belgium. million tesserae were attached to Hidden sheets of paper by Waller’s art During his convalescence, he students and war widows in learned to write and draw with Melbourne, creating one of the gems a his left hand: “An artist draws largest single mosaics in the with his head, not his hands,” world. Despite having only one he said. poignant arm, Waller was actively involved The artworks in the Hall of in the entire process. Memory had not been installed by The erect, formal posture and reminder the end of the Second World War, large eyes of four imposing but it was decided that the figures recall classical Greek One of Australia’s ‘hidden stained glass windows would still sculptures and the Byzantine gems’ of glass artistry can be be dedicated to the First World mosaics of Ravenna in Italy, found in the nation’s capital, War, and WW2 was to be which Waller visited in the 1920s. Canberra. commemorated in the wall mosaics. Napier Waller died in 1972, but In the heart of the Australian War his wonderous legacy will live on Memorial lies The Hall of Memory, Fifteen superb panels for many generations to come. which can only be reached by The spectacular windows feature walking past the names of the Ian Dymock on three sides of the Hall of more than 102,000 people who Memory, each window divided have given their lives in the into five panels. Each of the service of this country. fifteen panels typifies one of the Remarkably, the man chosen to quintessential qualities displayed create the decorative elements in by Australians in war. the Hall of Memory was a WW1 Napier Waller’s aim was ‘to ex-serviceman who lost his right produce through repetition, and a arm on the Western Front in broad monotone of blue and 1917. grey, a serenity of effect with a Napier Waller left school at the dim cathedral light. At the age of 14 to work on the family bottom of each window are farm. He enlisted in August 1915 fragmentary remains from and served with the 111th destruction and war.’
Pictured above: Spectacular leadlight windows feature on three sides of the Australian War Memorial’s Hall of Memory.
Right: One of four striking mosaics adorning the walls of the Hall. A TOUCH OF GLASS PAGE 9 Welcome to Corning Country, USA
In the 1960s and 70s, almost has a collection of more than The Museum's Glass Collection every Australian kitchen used 45,000 glass objects, some over showcases more than thirty five some form of Corning Ware, 3,500 years old. centuries of glass artistry, with a brand name for a unique various galleries telling the story The Corning Museum of Glass is glass-ceramic cookware of glass creation, from a full-scale nestled in the heart of the resistant to thermal shock. model of an Egyptian furnace, to picturesque Finger Lakes region the grand factories of Europe, to With its distinctive light blue of upstate New York, halfway the small-scale furnaces that cornflower pattern, between Niagara Falls and New fuelled the Studio Glass Corning Ware could be taken York City. movement that began in America from the refrigerator or freezer A major renovation completed in in 1962. and used directly on the stove 2001 included a new visitors' top, in an oven or microwave – It’s not readily accessible by centre, sculpture gallery, hot a revolutionary concept! public transport, but if you’re glass demonstration stage, planning to be on the US eastern In a gesture dedicated to the art, hands-on Innovation Centre and seaboard any time soon, why history and science of glass, the a 1,700 m2 glass market, one of don’t you put it on your bucket US-based Corning Glass Works the largest museum shops in the list to visit this extraordinary opened the Corning Museum of US, which fills the entire first museum. Glass in 1951, which currently floor of the museum.
Lamp takes pride of place
Guild member Emma Golder Central to each panel is an has added some modern antique embossed glass touches to an old lamp to saucer with a floral motif, which produce a very attractive were purchased online. hanging glass lampshade Because of the additional (pictured right) for her New weight of the lead and art Farm home. glass, the electrician who To enhance the original article, installed the fitting added extra the previous black frame has support in the ceiling so the been painted gold, and Emma lamp wouldn’t come crashing to has replaced the existing plain the ground. glass with five leadlight panels The finished product is a very of textured green and clear elegant addition to the hallway Cathedral glass. th of Emma’s 19 century home. A TOUCH OF GLASS PAGE 10
Marian weaves Marian was visiting Brisbane to conduct her two popular courses – mosaic magic ‘Working with Smalti’ and ‘Bend, Fold and Undulate’. In May, Guild members were delighted to share the wisdom of Several Guild members joined the internationally recognised, multi- May courses in which Marian award winning mosaics artist, shared her special techniques Marian Shapiro, who wowed her working with smalti, and audience with a presentation introduced students to making entitled “Not Just Smashing Stuff and working with dimensional Up and Sticking it On”. substrates for mosaic.
Desert Dreaming in mosaic
A 196-square-metre mosaic is the first artwork that you will encounter on your visit to Australia’s Parliament House, which recently celebrated its 30th anniversary.
The mosaic (pictured below) in Parliament’s forecourt is based on a design by Warlpiri aboriginal artist Michael Nelson Jagamara, and is a contemporary depiction of an ancient Western Desert Dreaming.
The forecourt mosaic is made of over 90,000 individual hand-guillotined pieces of granite, which were specially selected to match, as far as A big welcome to all our beginner students, possible, the colours in the original painting. including mosaic class members Angela and Jacinda (above) and Felicia and Gabrielle (below).
If you are the proud creator of your first mosaic, leadlight, copperfoil piece, slumped glass plate, sandblasted item, or lampworked beads, please consider displaying it in our upcoming Exhibition, and inspire others to get involved at the Guild.