Glass Blowing in Sunderland

Yesterday I told you all about the National Glass Centre in Sunderland that Gina and I visited.

But, I left out the most exciting bit!  We got to make our very own baubles!!

Bauble.  I love that word.  Bauble.  Bauble. Bauble.

Here's how it's done.

First you get a demonstration from the pros.

Then you squeal with excitement and hope nobody hears you.

(This was a bucket list moment for me.)

Then you put on safety goggles and enter the hot workspace.

Everything is explained step by step with an emphasis on safety.

Obviously, this liquid glass is like molten lava.

You pick out the colors for your bauble.  I selected swirly blue and green because they're the colors of England to me.  The color chips are laid out on the table.

The blowpipe is dipped into the furnace to gather up the molten glass like honey on the end of a stick.

Then you roll it on the table to pick up the colored bits being careful where you place your hands.

Then the blow pipe is placed into the glory hole where the glass is reheated.

This is where you decide if you want swirls or spots.  I picked swirls.

With some continuous twirling the colors are all incorporated.

Then the blowing part of glass blowing comes in.

I simply contributed the hot air to the project, this guy did all of the work.

Not that the blowing part is easy.  The pipe is twirling the whole time and you have to blow really hard.

Hence, the unattractive neck strain.  

The bauble goes back into a second furnace for a reheat and then more blowing, twirling and shaping.

 

Eventually, you have a perfectly round, swirly, hot bauble.

It's carefully released from the blowpipe onto a bed of sawdust.

With a quick flick of the blowpipe a swirl of hot glass is added to the top for a hook

and a flash with a blowtorch rounds off any sharp edges.  

After an overnight in a third furnace that allows the glass to cool off slowly,

it was carefully wrapped up and shipped to me.

I might have squealed again when the package arrived.

Ta-da!   My very own glass blown bauble full of my very own breaths.

It's a most treasured possession and will be kept out year round.

Have you ever been glass blowing?

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  *As a participant in Traverse 14 and in partnership with NewcastleGateshead Initiative,
I was a guest of National Glass Centre.   All photos, writing and opinions are my own.
As always, I promise to be open, honest and transparent with my readers.
If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask.

Sunderland's National Glass Centre

Several weeks ago, Gina and I boarded a train to Newcastle for a travel bloggers conference.

We always manage to have a blast when we go off on an adventure together.

The conference was terrific and offered some great information and networking.

Newcastle was really fun and interesting.  I'd love to go back and explore more in depth.

The highlight of the weekend was a post-conference visit to the National Glass Centre in Sunderdland.

Located on the North Shore of River Wear, the Centre is a part of the University of Sunderland.  This is a place where artists, teachers, students and the community come together to share the beauty of contemporary glass.  A combination of studio, exhibit, museum and event space, there is plenty to do and see.

There's an really interesting exhibit that covers the history of glass blowing and in particular, the history of glass works in Sunderland.  There are also plenty of beautiful examples of contemporary glass.

The space is beautiful and open with lots of windows to let in the river views.

When you visit, you should plan to stay for a meal in their Brasserie.

This was one of the best Sunday Roasts I've had in England!  That Yorkshire Pudding is the size of my head.

Add in an old-fashioned Lemonade and you have the perfect meal.

The Centre has an exhibition program that offers first class glass and ceramic presentations.

The Oliver Goldsmith Collection is running through May 4th.

Here is the description from the National Glass Centre website...

"Think 20th Century icons. Grace Kelly. Colin Firth. Michael Caine in his signature black  spectacles. Audrey Hepburn in the big white glasses that framed her elfin face. Iconic style makers – Givenchy, Dior and Vidal Sassoon. Think cult films of the fifties & sixties. In the second half of last century, when it came to eyewear, Oliver Goldsmith was synonymous with stars and style."

"Featuring spectacle designs which enthralled a generation and photographs of the famous faces that wore them, this exhibition charts the progression of one of the most successful British spectacle design companies of the mid-twentieth century."

Princess Diana was one of their most famous clients.

The exhibition includes a line that was designed exclusively for the iconic figure.

Oliver Goldsmith is a family business that was founded in London in 1926.
They are responsible for taking glasses from a medical accessory to a fashion accessory.
Those fabulous sunglasses worn by Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany's?
An Oliver Goldsmith creation.

Gina was channeling her inner diva in this whimsical pair.
 Be sure to visit the gift shop.  It's full of fun stuff and beautiful collectibles.

If you live close by, check out their Have a Go! page. 

Wouldn't you love to make one of these pretty flower paperweights?

If I lived in Sunderland, I'd be there every chance I got.

The building even have a glass ceiling that you can walk on.
It's made of glass panes that are over two inches thick.

Speaking of "having a go", I can't wait to show you what else we did while we were at the

National Glass Centre.

How would you spend your day at the great place?

TWITTER | FACEBOOK | PINTEREST | SUBSCRIBE | BLOGLOVIN



  *As a participant in Traverse 14 and in partnership with NewcastleGateshead Initiative,
I was a guest of National Glass Centre.   All photos, writing and opinions are my own.
As always, I promise to be open, honest and transparent with my readers.
If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask.