Tag: Manchester

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.

  • dav
  • Wednesday stained glass course
  • Wednesday Stained glass course
  • dav
  • dav

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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Springing into March – New workshops

Last year saw me complete exciting community stained glass windows for Withington Baths, as part of their Heritage Project. I love developing designs in collaboration with different groups, it makes for a very dynamic experience.

Withington Baths Studio two
Withington Baths Cafe Window

This year needs to bring an ability to update my website with some of the commissions I have now made, but like a lot of creative makers, this often falls off the ‘To Do List’.

I think there is a resurgence in traditional crafts, which has been helped by many tv programmes hi-lighting the crafts. Stained glass has been noted as a ‘Endangered craft’ but there are lots of people wanting to have ago. Hands on making is like having a rest if you spend much of your time on screens for work, and it can be very mindful, according to people I have taught, taking your mind off that ever ongoing ‘To Do list’!

The January and February workshops sold out in a flash, mostly as Christmas gifts, what a fabulous gift to receive. I now have workshops for March through to early May. https://manchesterstainedglass.co.uk/classes/ There will be more workshops coming for Summer, if you would like to be on the emailing, and first in the ‘know’ for dates, drop me a message on Contact

Now for some pictures

  • Withington Baths Studio Two
  • Withington Baths Studio two
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Stained glass – Autumn dates and Projects

Love Withington Baths Stained glass – Schools engagement project.

This Summer along with running workshops, I finished making a series of stained glass panels for Love Withington Baths, co-designed in an engagement project with 5 local primary schools. So much fun working with a small group of about 18 – 30 children from each school to understand and design a window representing ‘Welcome’ using universal themes. I love these windows, they are brave, happy and most definitely welcoming. They are in the entrance to studio two, within the baths, which are worth checking out if you are in the Withington area. I am about to start work on a second window for the Café area in the baths, co-designed with the Step Learners at the Withington Adult Learning Centre.

Withington Baths Studio two
Withington Baths Studio two
Withington Baths Studio Two

I also met lots of lovely people in the run workshops I run. They are new workshop dates for Autumn on the website, although some workshops are full, still lots of places left on some dates: a new one day stained glass for beginners workshop, an Introduction to Copper Foiling workshop and the Wednesday Morning 8 week course. Another Wednesday Morning course will be starting mid November.

Do check out all these fabulous pieces made by people attending the workshops, and a couple of small painted pieces I made.

Any questions, please do just ask – Contact page Thank you

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Thursday Evening classes – Make glass suncatchers

Starting 2nd March 6pm – 8.30pm – 4 sessions

Interested in trying out a new craft, or refreshing your skills? Let me know, email contact form or see link for more information.

Come and learn how to make Copper Foiled glass suncatchers. Learning how to cut colourful glass to patterns, grind the glass, foil it and lastly soldering. All very satisfying, playing with beautiful glass and going home with your own suncatcher decoration.

Have a look at some of the pieces previous people have made.

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