Glass Message Board
Glass Discussion & Research. NO IDENTIFICATION REQUESTS here please. => British & Irish Glass => Topic started by: flying free on October 25, 2008, 03:48:42 PM
-
I have no idea whether or not this is a paperweight (feels a bit too light and small base easily knocked over?) or would be described as an egg? or perhaps just a sculpture, but it is very pretty and reminds me of Van Gogh's painting techniques.
On the bottom it is signed Norman Stuart Clarke 83 but has the extra letters/numbers LG1
I wondered if anyone could shed any light on these please?
From my research I gather he worked at the London Glassblowing Workshop - would the LG be for that perhaps and 1 be that it is a one only or the first one?
thanks again - any help would be much appreciated.
m
-
Hi M,
Both the suggestions you make are logical. Unfortunately I do not have answer, but rather a couple of suggestions.
Try contacting Norman S-C through his Glass Gallery down in Cornwall, Or contact the London Glassblowing and Peter Layton to see if they either have records, or can shed some light on your query. I've always found them very helpful, but give them a bit of time.
NORMAN STUART CLARKE GLASS
The Glass Gallery, St. Erth, Hayle Tel: 01736 756577
Arts & Crafts Gallery. Workshop. Shop. Visitors welcome to view glass blowing and the gallery. Monday to Friday - 10 to 1 and 2.30 to 5. Saturday 10 to 1. Other times by appointment.
Nigel
-
Norman moved from Cornwall about 5 years ago to live in France and last I heard he had since moved on to eastern europe.
Mike www.abfabglass.co.uk
-
thank you Nigel - I will try London Glassblowing and see if they have any records.
Mike, yes I had read somewhere on my google searches that Norman had moved to Romania I think it might have been and there seems to be no way of contacting him on email as all connections are blank.
That said, there are some galleries who carry his work of course, so he must be contactable somehow :)
thanks again.
M
-
This is one of the eggs that Norman made for an exhibition of glass Easter Eggs held at Coleridge, 80 Highgate High Street in 1983.
At the time Norman was still working at London Glassblowing Workshop with Peter Layton and Siddy Langley.
He was definitely influenced by Van Gogh and from memory it was one of the first to sell.
-
Adam thank you SO much! :hiclp:
It's great to know the history - and I must add it looks very beautiful illuminated :)
m
-
Hiya, as promised, here's some more N S-C.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b227/chopin-liszt/crizzle%20and%20ubdercliff/NSC1.jpg
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b227/chopin-liszt/crizzle%20and%20ubdercliff/NSC2.jpg
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b227/chopin-liszt/more%20glass/NS-C4.jpg
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b227/chopin-liszt/more%20glass/NS-C2.jpg
-
ooooh they are lovely!
I particularly like number 2 - gorgeous and I bet it looks stunning when illuminated.
I must take some better pics of my egg - will try later.
m
-
Got any sunshine?
The first bottle is a big beast - 8" tall, dated '90, the second is a wee thing - 4.5" tall, dated '89.
-
yes we have lots of sunshine down here :sun: It's fabulous. The bigger one of yours reminds me of Jackson Pollock :hiclp:
here are a couple more pics of my 'Van Gogh' egg (probably not much better :-[ )
I also sadly don't have a collection.....yet
m
-
:o
Ooooh, it's got strange flame-like things coming up from the bottom - I "get it" far better now!
I like Jackson Pollock.
Some scientists analysed his work using computery programmes and such-like stuff, and discovered that his paintings have an inner mathematical structure which is a fractal!
I thought that was absolutely fascinating - and a very good reason why his work has an inherent appeal over random stuff - fractals are a very basic "rule" of nature.
And I agree about the bottle being Pollock-y, that was what attracted me to it! :rn:
-
I am sure there has to be some underlying structure there on the (some of) JP paintings, otherwise I'm sure they'd appear disturbing rather than attractive. I love them.
m
-
Hi Flying Free
I am Normans son and I can try and answer any questions you may have about his glass.
Yvan
-
Hi Yvan
A big welcome and thanks for joining the board and offering to answer questions. That's wonderful.
I suppose my few questions are about my egg really. I would love to know how Norman managed to create such a precise picture to appear on the surface of the egg (my knowledge of glassmaking techniques is severely limited). And from Adam's post it seems there were other eggs in the series. Were they all painterly in approach and are there any pictures at all?
Also I would love to see pictures of Norman's earlier pieces - I have seen some in 20th Century British Glass and I have an old catalogue from 1993 Crafts council which shows a fantastic piece titled 'Mexican Vase'. There are some beautiful pics on the net of his recent pieces but earlier ones would be wonderful as well.
Thank you again for replying to this topic. It is appreciated.
m
-
Further to these posts I have a Norman Stuart Clarke "egg" paperweight that I've inherited from my late mother which is signed on its base "Norman Stuart Clarke 81 LGW" It's an unusual brown glaze with an attractive silver/ brown/ blue abstract pattern. I can send a photo if anyone is interested?
-
Yes please Candy, this looks very interesting work indeed.
-
Hi and welcome to the board. I would love to see the egg also, so yes please do post a picture :)
many thanks
m
-
Candy, welcome to the board. To get you started with adding photos, please see our help topic here: http://www.glassmessages.com/index.php/topic,6522.0.html - but if you get stuck please do ask for help and one of us will rescue you. :)