Large ‘donkey tail’ succulents hanging outside the studio door and believe it or not- that bright bunting is actually made from glass!
Nursery area in the potting shed with tub of many scissors. It was in this earth filled tray that Alma put the poor plant that I managed to knock off a shelf as soon as I got there. I feel I have now exposed my recording secret- I only start to record after an initial chat with a cup of tea and cake!
Oops! Earlier plant and pot casualty. Honestly, I’m so clumsy- probably not the best choice of person to allow into your glass studio, or home!
View from potting shed through glass window to the glass workshop.
‘No work Garden’ by Bob Flowerdew and other faded/used books on the high shelf in the potting shed. The shelf is hung with small bunches of dried flowers and seed-heads that Alma uses in her work.
Cleared veranda area of the studio, showing our hanging collaborative ‘Beacon of Hope’ glass artwork ‘dressed’ in its ‘Midwinter’ set of panels. Also a tantalising glimpse of our next project in the display cabinet, another collaboration with Mary Stockton-Smith, creating a hanging sculpture based on a journey/pilgrimage at Harbledown, near Canterbury.
On the base shelf of the display cabinet are our first set of enamel painted, fused glass panels. These illustrations are site specific to the Franciscan Gardens in Canterbury, where we originally displayed the ‘Beacon of Hope’ back in 2022.
Eye level shelf full of tiny potted succulents including a baby ‘donkey tail’ similar to the one that I was gifted twice by Alma- the last one is still alive.
Many, many potted plants on the window sills, mainly succulents with 'reject’ mouth- blown glass baubles resting in their pots, I think they look wonderful.
A seed head of Common Ragwort lovingly held and displayed in a specially coloured and shaped glass bauble. This was one of a few made for an art exhibition celebrating our local natural environment in an annual event ‘Wild about Whitstable’- initiated by local resident Helen Smith/Natural Whitstable.
A hanging fused glass ‘coral’, the largest artefact Alma can make in her kiln. This is just a section of the wonderful window sill plant and art collection.
A serious bit of kit; the gas torch for blowing glass baubles with annealing kiln in the background. NB- the Aloe Vera gel for any burns is on the shelf out of shot!
Experiments with real foliage for our ‘Weeds in Kent’ art collaboration, using precious metals- these are very ethereal and remind me of sepia Victorian photograms. The happy hens hanging below these frames are such fun to see and Alma says she has been told they have been bought in the past, to add a bit of joy and colour to a mundane task, such as hanging by a sink in a busy kitchen.
More serious work area with lots of tools and materials I didn’t ask about and so have no idea what they are. They will be forever a creative and colourful mystery.
Alchemy in progress and a few burn marks in the wood from the hot glass work.
Alma has a website, a shop on Folksy and sells at many local outlets. At the moment you can buy from her direct from her workshop as she is part of the East Kent Artists Open Houses event, on now. Open 11-5pm this weekend and next- house number 30.
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