My OBT

What if you spent every day looking for One Beautiful Thing?

The Glass Fabricator

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Cathryn Shilling

Glass artist Cathryn Shilling isn’t content to make beautiful glass that looks like glass. Not Cathryn. She has devised a way to make gorgeous glass sculptures that look like fabric. Mind blown. Her kiln-formed objects look like you could pick them up and start sewing.

I can’t fathom how patient and skilled you would have to be to create such things out of glass. Though I love the Silk series, her woven pieces are just endlessly fascinating.

Shilling uses the Venetian glass cane technique to make her strands. The canes are made by drawing molten glass into fine threads of no more than one or two mm.  She then weaves them together, strand by strand, until she has made a large enough piece. She trims the piece, then fuses the strands in a kiln until they resemble sheets of woven fabric. The sheets are cooled, then re-fired and shaped while hot to resemble the drape of the fabrics they are meant to resemble.

You can follow Cathryn Shilling on her website and on Instagram.

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This Antarctic Confluence can now be seen as part of Sculpture at Doddington, the exhibition runs until 6 September with works of art in the gardens and Stable Yard Gallery. There is no better place to visit on a beautiful day like today! #sculptureatdoddington 25 July – 6 September in the Gardens and Stable Yard Gallery Photo by #stuartwildephotography #kilnformedglass #fusedglass #wovenglass #glassweaving #bullseyeglass #antarctica #glacialice #seaice #weddellsea #confluence #contemporarysculpture #contemporaryglass #artglass #sculptureatdoddington #doddingtonhall #lincoln #sculptureexhibition #sculpturegarden #artistsofinstagram @bullseyeglass @bullseyeprojects @doddingtonhall

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Repost from @markraynesroberts – CREATION in ISOLATION – Why Hope And Beauty Matter. ”Consonance II” by British glass artist, Cathryn Shilling. Cathryn is an internationally renowned glass artist who creates kiln-formed glass, she lives and works in London. “I experiment with layering and fusing glass to produce one off sculptures. In doing so I push the material beyond pre-conceived technical parameters, as well as constantly testing my own understanding of the processes involved in the creation of this work. The final effect resembles strands of glass woven together like fabric, mimicking the flexibility and movement of cloth. I have developed the processes involved in creating this work over many years but developed these recent pieces during a different period of isolation. I had a five week residency at North Lands Creative, in Scotland. For most of this time I lived and worked entirely alone and I found this period most enriching. I now work in a new studio where I continue to develop these this work. The apparent frailty of the glass is an illusion and is balanced by the strong dynamic forms. Differing levels of light play across the undulating contours of the piece, picking out each individual strand. This play of light is enhanced by the addition of a fine coating of 24 carat gold or other metal. The method is such that each finished object is totally unique and impossible to repeat.” Cathryn Shilling. @cathrynshilling www.cathrynshilling.co.uk This is one of a series of art works created by over 100 talented artists and poets from around the world during the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020. Stay home, stay safe. #cathrynshilling #cathrynshillingglass #artist #fabricatedglass #goldleaf #hotglass #glassart #glassartist #britishglass #artglass #art #contemporaryart #creationinisolation #beauty #beautiful #hope #life #light #insta #instagram #instaart #instagood #london #england #england🇬🇧 #uk @vessellondon @photography_esters @contemporaryglasssociety @glassartsociety @glassquarterly @glass_club @craftscouncil @greatbritishglass @londonglassblowing

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This piece called Silk? was made in 2013 from Bullseye glass. It has now for SOLD as part of the #artistsupportpledge The artist support pledge was instigated by artist @matthewburrowstudio artists around the world are offering work for no more than £200 (not including shipping) and if their sales reach £1000, they pledge to buy another artist’s work for £200. Anyone can buy the work. In this time when exhibitions and sales have disappeared this initiative is helping to relieve some of the stress.#artistsupportpledge #supportartists #makerssupportingmakers #generosityisinfectious #contemporaryglassart #glassart #contemporaycraft #kilnformedglass #societyofdesignercraftsmen #bullseyeglass @bullseyeglass @bullseyeprojects #ccdirectory @craftscouncil @photography_esters

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In 2012 I returned to Wear & Tear but this time in monochrome. Except for a touch of dichroic! For this series of wall pieces I used sheets of woven glass cloth to explore the damage that occurs as a result of ordinary use. Damage that is natural and inevitable due to decay and the ravages of time. The pieces of glass cloth appear to be crumpled and rumpled, torn and frayed or simply gently draped, appearing to be worn, careworn or even unworn. The woven glass is tack fused to sheets of Bullseye glass. I have left the backing sheets unworked, retaining all the features which characterise hand rolled glass. I want to remain true to the material and work with its natural texture, the way a watercolourist utilises the texture of handmade paper. The photos are by Ester Segarra. #fusedglass #wovenglass #glassweaving #wovenglasscloth #bullseyeglass #dichroicglass #wearandtear #wallpiece #glassart #contemporaryart #interiordesign #damage #decay #ravagesoftime @bullseyeglass @bullseyeprojects @photography_esters

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Author: Donna from MyOBT

I have committed to spending part of every day looking for at least one beautiful thing, and sharing what I find with you lovelies!

8 thoughts on “The Glass Fabricator”

Leave a comment

  1. loisajay
    September 26, 2020 at 8:17 am

    There was/is a series on Netflix about blowing glass. That was interesting. This kind of glass work is mind-blowing.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  2. bcparkison
    September 26, 2020 at 8:50 am

    Oh my goodness. The time involved must be ….hard to even imagine. The silk really does look like silk.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  3. Laura (PA Pict)
    September 26, 2020 at 2:15 pm

    You hit the nail on the head: my mind is blown. Even once I knew these were glass, my brain insisted they had to be textiles. So clever.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

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