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Brian & Jenny Blanthorn

The original studio workshop was established in Peterborough, England in 1983 and re-located to the Isle of Wight in 1997.

 

 

Inspiration comes from the myriad of patterns found in nature, such as striated and weathered rock formations and the beautiful colours and patterns of tropical marine fish.

 

 

To produce each piece of glass involves a lengthy, time consuming, process, which has taken many years to develop and perfect. From the initial inspiration the complex process involves cutting, assembling, fusing, grinding and/or slumping, and polishing.

 

 

Brian started out with an interest in ceramics but was always interested in what was going on inside the piece. Brian eventually realised that if he wanted to see the interior then glass was the best material to work with.

 

 

Jenny’s interest started with surface pattern of textiles, packaging, wallpaper, etc., then she moved over to glass due to its architectural applications.

Recently they have made much larger boulder like pieces and are starting to incorporate dichroic glass in some pieces, and using optically clear glass. (Dichroic glass has a thin layer of metals and other materials to give a very high colouration which changes due to light and viewing angle)

Brian’s current ongoing 5 year project, which is now at last nearing completion is the custom making of 30” blade diamond feed saw, much of which he is designing and making, most of the working wet parts are in stainless steel.

 

 

This is specifically made to be very flexible, to cut odd shaped large pieces of glass, the blade is designed that once cut is finished it can be slid on its own trolley into the cut so enabling larger pieces of glass to be used, thanks to all around the world, who have helped out on this.

 

Courtesy of the artist’s website.