Tag: Art

Slow down, breathe and break glass

Also known as mindfulness whilst being creative

I think it’s well acknowledged that being creative is good for us, takes the mind off the ‘to do’ list and a respite from the little lemon that life throws at us. It is a chance to engage outside our normal day to day tasks, in a vibrant, tactile way using our hands, transforming glass into art pieces.

I have been running workshops and teaching stained glass, copper foiling and now fused glass, for many years. What I have found is the journey of learning to make stained glass is not always about the obvious, but an array of different reasons for people.

One women who comes to the Wednesday morning course, has said ‘it’s her therapy’, and to be fair, we have a good laugh, and non-judgemental positive encouragement, recognizing ‘our wins’ is important. Meeting new people, fostering community in a creative slightly structured setting, learning a new skill, personal growth and confidence, whilst playing with beautiful glass, is hard to beat for the feel good factor.

With this in mind I have two new workshops which hopefully cater to peoples available time.

Both are fun, creative and can give a bit of a buzz.

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  • Wednesday stained glass course
  • Wednesday Stained glass course
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Explore the workshops and courses, and feel free to contact me with any questions. Stained glass and copper foiling require various hand tools and involve standing at a bench to cut glass and lead. Creating fused glass can be accomplished while seated, provided that minimal cutting is involved.

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New – Fused glass workshops

Glassy things happening in the studio!

Tuesday 19th March 2pm – 4pm or Thursday 21st March 11am – 1pm

Fused Glass – I am calling it ‘cutting and sticking’ with glass, not strictly true, but it reminds me of creating paper collages when younger. Instead of paper we will be using all sorts glassy fusing things called inclusions: stringers, confetti, dichroic glass and Millefiori pieces, a bit like being in a sweetie shop.

Come to a 2 hour workshop, learn about: the basics of glass fusing, have a quick guide to cutting and shaping small pieces of glass and how to use all the lovely ‘inclusions’. Make a fused glass tile suncatcher and a keyring if time. Your pieces will be fired in a kiln at very hot temperature, which melts the glass into one fused piece. Booking form dates and costs or contact me for more information



Ready for collection in about a week or two, times for pick up to be arranged.   This is a fun hands on workshop, with time to play with the glass and create your own piece of glass art with guidance from me, Sharon.

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Exceptional Times

Whilst the world is on hold, and we wait in self isolation to hopefully slow down the virus and give the NHS a fighting chance…

Lets look at some of the recent creations from workshops, courses and those who have carried on at home. Help keep our spirits up, maybe inspire each other to create and make, whilst I wait to re-schedule post-phoned workshops and courses.

I am starting to re-orientate how to precede with work and life in general.  Usually Artists are quite good at lateral thinking, but this, as for many, is being quite a challenge.  Talk about bringing communities together in shared experience. 

It was almost funny discovering this Tuesday  lunchtime that the studio would close by 6pm having just had word that someone wanted a commission, Yay and Ooh!  I tried to decide in a short space of time whether I should attempt to set up a home studio or not (space issue’s, free roaming cat Dr Seuss).  I rushed around, my brain in muddy confusion, collecting tools and a choice of glass together, squishing it  into my small car. How much and what glass and lead would I need…..how long is a piece of string type question.  I decided to problem solve the lack of space, workbench and cat later, one problem at a time. Today is Saturday, I have a wee home studio, bench as well, set up and ready to go! My hope is I can take small commissions, depending on the suppliers still open online….watch this space or send me an email if interested. 

I hope this slide show will  keep those creative juices flowing. Do email any lovely pictures of stained glass and copper foiling you have recently made or are making, I will post them onto the Facebook page to keep us all going.

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Exhibition – Museum of Journeys in a Chest of Drawers.

A Museum of Journeys in a Chest of Drawers – Looking Beyond the Stereotypes.

Some of you may have heard me talk about the community art work I do and in particular the above project I have been working on with artist Rachel Ramchurn. Excitingly the exhibition opens next week Saturday!

Preview 12pm -3.30pm Saturday 29th February. Hosted by Arc centre and inside the Hatworks Museum Wellington Mill, Wellington Rd South, Stockport SK3 0EU

A participative and interactive art project, including stories and artworks from participants at Arc Stockport and Global Sistaz United Nottingham.

“Look inside the chest of drawers and discover stories from two seemingly different groups of people. Will you recognise yourself in the stories told?”

This exhibition hopes to share the stories of what unites us as humans during a time of political, social and cultural divide.

Share your story at the end with our poem-making machine. Do any of the words resonate with you?

It will be lovely to see some of you there. The exhibition preview is running alongside Arc’s Saturday Family art club 11.30am -4pm.

Below is a sneak preview and some of the art works in progress.

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Continues to show Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays 10am – 4pm until 17th April 2020.

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Christmas Gifts and AWOL ICE

Christmas Gift experiences in Stained glass and ICE at AWOL Studios, Hope Mill Ancoats.

With the importance of less waste and changing the way we consume goods, being at the forefront of our minds, buying less ‘stuff’ and locally is the thing to do now.  I don’t feel too bad saying please buy local from makers and artists this Christmas. There is a host of exciting workshop experiences out there, where one takes home not only a beautiful creation but a lovely memory that lasts.

Why not look at the workshops and courses I run as gifts for someone this Christmas. I still have spaces   Introduction to Copper Foiling workshop   Stained glass for beginners weekend workshops   Evening and Daytime classes     Do have a look and please do feel free contact me and ask questions.

Monday evening course
Evening course panel in progre
Finished panel from beginners weekend
Evening Class
Intro Copper foiling workshop
A piece in progress, being leaded

The workshops I run are based at AWOL Studio’s in Hope Mill Ancoats Manchester, where a few of us Artists who teach and run workshops have pulled together to create ‘ICE’, ‘independent Creative Educators’. “We offer unique creative experiences in a Unique Grade 2* listed venue – Hope Mill. So far we you can try, drawing, painting, crafts, photography, stained glass with other culturally creative activities coming soon. We are are group of artists who are proud to embrace the independent spirit of a creative Manchester.

Check us out, maybe buy a workshop for that someone special or for yourself, we all deserve down time to be creative. Follow us on Instagram @iceawolarts watch out for open days and see what we are up too. Thanks for reading

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