Galleries - August - 2012

5. GALLERIES AUGUST 12 M atthew Hayes ‘Residue’ at the British Glass Biennale. P eter Layton ‘Memories’ (detail) at London Glassblowing. Zoe Garner ‘The Butterfly Effect’ at Zest Gallery. Will Shakspeare Glass fish at Gallery Tresco, Isles of Scilly, see map 9 for details numbers almost 100, ranging from Adam Aaronson himself to the glass jewellery maker Zoe Garner. In Bermondsey, the London Glassblowing Studio and Gallery , this year celebrating its founder Peter Layton's 75th birthday, keeps the flame glowing for hot-glass techniques. Visitors will be treated to 'Memories', a potent installation of free-blown red poppies, a natural development of Layton's previous work with themes of war. Up in the heart of glass-land, at Stourbridge, the British Glass Biennale , the great selling exhibition of British contemporary glass, gets underway, one of the highlights of the International Festival of Glass that spans a number of sites (see www.ifg.org.uk for details). This is the 400th anniversary of glassmaking at Stourbridge and the 50th anniversary of the studio glass movement (which grew out of Littleton and Labino’s demonstration of small furnace technology in 1962), and the organisers aim 'to take the pulse of recent achievement in contemporary British glass'. Around 70 makers have been selected or invited, a broad church of work indeed, from the exquisite cast pieces by Sally Fawkes, to the mould blown sculptures of Phil Vickery and Deborah Sandersley's combinations of photography and glass. Broadfield House meanwhile provides the historical perspective with an exhibition 'Back to the Future' showing how inspirational its collections have been for 23 local glassmakers and designers: just one of a host of exhibitions and events (such as the world's longest glassblowing demonstration) that cannot fail but draw glass enthusiasts to this unique area. Among the craftsmen interviewed as part of the British Library's Crafts Lives recording project are such luminaries as Sam Herman, Ronald Pennell and Alison Kinnaird. Their stories underline the interconnectivity of the contemporary glass world: like the material itself, the glass scene is fluid with artists moving from one glass centre to another, sharing skills and fusing traditions. It was, for instance, the Englishman Stephen Procter who instilled in his Canberra students a love for cold-lathe working which has led them to become the world's finest in this field. This month we have the chance to experience the fruits of the collaborations and exchanges of ideas that have taken place in this country. At Zest Gallery 'Blast! 2012' celebrates the 10th anniversary of the Cohesion Glass Network, showing work by eight of the founding members alongside that of emerging artists whom they admire. Backed by Sunderland City Council, this business support network now REFLECTIONS Sarah Drury explores the art of glass . . .