Glass Bienniale 2010

The International Festival of Glass is an event that happens every 2 yrs in the Glass Quarter of Stourbridge in the Midlands. The best way I can describe it really is that its like a huge arts trail but one all about glass. You get given a map and a list of whats on at each venue, along with a timetable of events at the Ruskin Centre (which is the main venue for demo's, talks, workshops etc) and then its down to you to find your way around and have a good look at everything. I managed to get to most venues in the 1 and a half days I was there and had a great time wandering around all the exhibitions.....and yes I did make a few purchases along the way too!

The Glass Bienniale is a huge part of the International Festival of Glass and really shows of the best of the best in the world of glass. The work on display includes just about any warm or hot glass technique you can imagine (warm glass is fusing in a kiln where as hot glass is more about working with molten glass like glass blowing). I don't think I was the only visitor to be walking around the displays thinking "wow, how on earth have they done that?!" The quality really was amazing. I took a few piccys of my favourite pieces for you to see. Which one would you have voted for as an entry into The People's Award?

Lattice work with noodles of glass that were then slumped to create 3 free form shapes as a sculptural piece.

This was sooooo delicate. Its been created with fine powders and print onto glass. How on eath she managed to keep it all in one piece I have no idea. It was simply stunning and actually looked like real lace....as a result this was my vote for The Peoples Award.

I loved this dynamic lighting installation, quirky and fun!

I liked the sculptural form of this piece and also how fresh it looked, almost like ice.

These flowers had been created on a hot lampwork torch to form part of a glass headdress. Not sure I'd be brave enough to wear it though for fear of breaking it!

Copper foil inclusions in glass with printed imagery. Several pieces like this were joined together to create a dress shape on a wire frame.

So having seen a small snippet of the exhibition who would your vote go to?

Coming soon: Next festival venue - Plowden and Thompson Glass works....the only glass makers left in the UK today