Three glass artists from the West Midlands have won new business
to teach at the most prestigious glass museum in the world this
month, following help from UK Trade & Investment.
Jaqueline Cooley and Jo Newman, both of Telford, and Helen
Millard, of Stourbridge, will be teaching at Corning Museum of
Glass, New York, from Monday 26 July to Saturday 31 July.
Their work featured in Same Difference 2009, a Glass
Collaborations exhibition of West Midlands and German glass during
the 39th Glass Art Society Conference in Corning, which the artists
attended last year with support from UK Trade & Investment
through Advantage West Midlands' Interior & Lifestyle
Cluster.
Jaqueline Cooley said: "This is a wonderful opportunity that has
come about as a direct result of taking part in the exhibition,
which has had such a great impact on us.
"We all sold artwork at the event and made excellent contacts
for future business, and the museum then invited us to come back
this summer, which was fantastic.
"We will be among only a handful of British artists to teach at
the world's premier glass centre and hope this will be the start of
a long-standing relationship that could lead to other Glass
Collaborations artists following us.
"We are delighted with the support we have had from UK Trade
& Investment's Black Country international trade team and are
planning to visit Germany and the Czech Republic with them next
year."
Jaqueline and Jo will be showing students how to use a variety
of techniques and materials to create unique forms in the kiln
using sledging and slumping moulds.
Helen specialises in the art of cameo engraving and will be
introducing students to this delicate technique.
Terry Wood, UK Trade & Investment's head of international
trade at Black Country Chamber of Commerce, said: "This is a
fantastic opportunity for the glass artists to teach at one of the
premier schools in the world. It follows the collaborative work
across Europe and now in the USA."
Examples of Jo's and Jaqueline's work are currently on display
at an exhibition entitled "Made in Glass 2010" at the Red House
Glass Cone, Wordsley, which runs until Sunday 26 September.