Works of art in glass
by

Antje Illner, Abu Jafar, Marie Holm, Shelly James, Peter Layton, Bruce Marks, Karen Murphy, Layne Rowe, Anthony Scala, Carla Sealey, Louis Thompson, Jessica Townsend & Ewa Wawrzyniak

Of all the art forms which have been shown at The Gallery at Parndon Mill, artworks in glass have been far the most popular. Last year's Glasshaus exhibition was a great success so another glass exhibition this year became an inevitable decision.

Translucent and colourful, glass is a material which is seductive and appealing. In the last few years many artists have chosen this medium to express their ideas, creating objects which can be either functional or purely decorative, exploiting the versatility, plasticity and sheer beauty of glass.

Glasshaus II will again include Layne Rowe, Louis Thompson and Anthony Scala from the London Glassblowing Workshop together with colleagues Bruce Marks, Marie Worre Hastrup Holm and Shelley James.This year, the Gallery is proud to also be showing the work of Peter Layton, founder of the London Glassblowing Workshop which has the reputation as one of Europe's leading glass making workshops with a particular flair for the use of colour, form and texture.

Blowing glass requires a furnace which is maintained at red hot temperature all day seven days a week and is therefore a medium chosen by dedicated craftsmen. Glass casting also requires serious equipment and the pieces which will be exhibited by Ewa Wawrzyniak and Karen Murphy will be made at The University of Hertfordshire, although these two artists ambitiously plan to install the necessary equipment for casting glass here at Parndon Mill where they have a studio. They are already producing and giving tuition in kiln worked glass, fusing colour and metals into a clear or opaque base to form plates and decorative panels. Karen appeared in the Channel 4 Property Ladder program where her glass murals & floor generated much interest.

These artists will be joined by Abu Jafar ARBS, who exhibits a magnificent mural panel. Others artists new to Glasshaus will include Carla Sealey who makes colourful bowls and Jessica Townsend who exhibits one of her amazing miniature rooms made and furnished entirely of glass. Antje Illner contributes very unusual jewelry which incorporates glass, silver and linen.

During the exhibition visitors will be able to see the construction of a raised walkway for a weir on the River Stort. This ambitious structure, 24 metres long, has been designed and made by two of the Parndon Mill artists, Alan Freeman, blacksmith, and Karen Murphy, glass artist. Organic metal forms will incorporate glass medallions depicting local flora and items associated with milling. The walkway will form part of the British Waterways project to make the canal towpaths accessible for the disabled. It will also be part of the Harlow Sculpture Trail which links Parndon Mill to The Gibberd Garden at the other side of the town.