Isle of Wight Studio Glass
Isle of Wight Studio Glass is absolutely stunning. I've never seen anything quite like it in my life. The richness of colour, the originality and beauty of the designs, it gives a whole new meaning to the words 'made of glass'!
You'll find Isle of Wight Studio Glass in St. Lawrence, about half a mile off the main A3055 that runs between Ventnor and Niton.
The studio occupies ancient farm buildings just below the Undercliff, an area of outstanding natural beauty (AONB). And it's these beautiful surroundings that have no doubt inspired some of the most successful designs such as those seen in the Nightscape, Seascape and Undercliff collections.
On entering the studio we found ourselves in the 'Shop' where all around the most beautiful works of studio glass were tastefully displayed.
Through the shop we entered the studio itself where we were just in time to watch Peter Riley and his assistant, Claire, create a beautiful 'summer fruits' bowl from scratch.
Peter shows his audience the first 'gather' of glass on his blowing iron
Molten glass has the texture of treacle and throughout the process Peter heated the gather regularly to keep it workable.
To begin, the gather was rolled in richly coloured glass enamel powder and chippings and these were then fused onto the surface in the 'Glory Hole' (the re-heating unit).
Peter then shaped the gather using a steel pucella to form the neck of the piece.
A wet paper pad was then used to control and shape the expanding glass as Claire blew down the iron.
Next, two small gathers were added which Peter then shaped to make the foot of the bowl.
Claire then positioned another small gather of glass in the centre of the foot allowing Peter to remove his creation from the blowing iron.
The next stage involved creating a rim and then shaping the bowl.
Claire used a wooden board to ensure the bowl remained flat and level all round.
Finlly Peter withdrew to the rear of the studio to apply the finishing touches to his bowl before putting it into the annealing oven. Apparently it would stay there for 18-20 hours before cooling very slowly.
Peter takes his bowl to the annealing oven
It was truly most interesting to watch Peter and Claire at work. And it certainly made us appreciate the skill and craftsmanship that goes in to creating Isle of Wight Studio Glass.
Within the shop itself you will find gifts at all prices from less than £5 to £750+. And you'll find further information about the studio and the glass collections on the official
Isle of Wight Studio Glass website.
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