Art Of Glass
Discover the mesmerising art of glass craft at North Lands Creative, and find your inner artist
WITH such beautiful scenery in the North East there is plenty to spark the imagination when it comes to art. The blue of the sea, dark dramatic skies and gold sandy beaches; the colours and vistas provide ample inspiration.
The perfect place to unleash that inner creativity is North Lands Creative. This artistic organisation in the coastal village of Lybster specialises in contemporary glass, and from their beautiful gallery to their array of workshops, a visit here makes for a great day out.
For the artistically-minded, or those looking to take up a new skill, North Lands is a cultural capital in the world of glass. Over the years they have been home to some of the greatest talents in the industry, and this well of skills and expertise is something that they are keen to share with visitors and locals alike.
Karen Phillips, North Lands’ director, expands upon North Lands Creative’s cultural significance.
“Tucked away in the sleepy fishing village of Lybster is Scotland’s centre of excellence for glassmaking. North Lands Creative is a hub of specialist art and craft making with contributions from local and international artists.”
Mesmerising skills such as glass blowing, kilnforming or sand blasting may seem like dauntingly difficult crafts to try, but the friendly expertise of the North Lands staff will ensure you get the most out of any class.
With the guidance of leading experts in the medium, visitors can opt for an in-depth introduction to the skills involved in glass craft. Learning alongside a group of other creatively curious visitors, you are sure to not only learn a new skill but meet some like-minded new friends.
“We offers opportunities for longer stays and more
intensive training with Creative Retreats and onsite accommodation. Visitors can meet our artists and access exhibitions, gallery talks and view the collection of artwork from North Lands Creative’s 25-year history.”
For those less concerned about finessing their glass working skills, and just on the search for a fun and creative way to spend an afternoon, North Lands still has plenty to offer. As an organisation, they are keen to share their unrivalled knowledge and excellent facilities to anyone that might be interested, so they offer a full calendar of events for visitors.
“We offer classes and visitor experiences for both children and adults, ranging from lampworking for bead making and jewellery, introduction to hot glass for paperweights or bauble making and kilnforming.”
Whatever class you choose, you will come away with a beautiful, and entirely unique, keepsake. The possibilities with class craft are really endless and the staff at North Lands all have different styles and areas of knowledge to help you create something you love.
Maybe you want to create a striking, modern necklace, or you would prefer to try your hand at crafting a traditionally beautiful paperweight – whatever you are looking for, they will guide you through it.
Younger visitors are also catered for. Kilnforming is a particular hit with kids – the process is essentially just the heating of glass in a kiln, but can produce a variety of creations. They will love making glass mosaics, selecting smaller pieces of glass in a rainbow of colours to piece together a pattern or picture. These are then heated to fuse the glass into the final piece.
Whether it’s the peaceful surroundings, the sea air or the enthusiasm of the staff, something gives North Lands a uniquely creative atmosphere.
It doesn’t matter if you’re a skilled artist or you don’t have a creative bone in your body, the art of glass working is so mesmerising that you are sure to have a fantastic visit.