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Glass Discussion & Research. NO IDENTIFICATION REQUESTS here please. => British & Irish Glass => Topic started by: mhgcgolfclub on February 17, 2018, 09:09:45 PM
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I bought this very nice Rachael Woodman studio glass translucent bowl today, which I thought was worth a post.
The bowl is translucent . The inside of the base is a white or very pale blue changing to a lilac around the op with a blue rim.
The bowl is signed to base Rachael Woodman 1984 Jersey. Not sure about the Jersey, did she work there for a short while I could not find anything on the internet.
Diameter 6"
Height 3"
Weight 417gm.
Thanks Roy
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There is a detailed bio of her here, Roy: https://www.adriansassoon.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Woodman-R-Biography-1.pdf but there is a 2 year gap unaccounted for between 1984-1986.
1982-1984 Royal College of Art, London, MA Glass
1986-2005 Designer for Dartington Crystal, Devon
I wonder if it's worth dropping her an email about your bowl? I spotted another piece with same marks on the base on ebay (https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Art-Glass-Vase-by-Rachael-Woodman-1984-Jersey-Pink-Blue-with-Stopper-/371925472029?hash=item56987c531d:g:CS4AAOSwnF9Y7kOo) earlier.
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Thanks Anne
I had seen the bio but had not noticed the 2 years unaccounted for between 1984-86.
I will try and email her and if I get a reply will update the post.
Thanks Roy
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maybe blown by Neil Wilkin?
The foot looks similar to some bowls I have by him.
And iirc they worked together at some point.
see also here
https://www.glassmessages.com/index.php/topic,38482.msg262512.html#msg262512
some info here on that
http://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O3610/bowl-woodman-rachael/
Could we have a photograph against a plain white background in daylight at all pretty please :)
m
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Picture with white background but with flash will try without flash later.
Roy
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I should correct my post above
Maybe blown by at a time when Rachael Woodman was working with Neil Wilkin as it has similarities with some bowls I have by him.
In the book Contemporary British Glass (Crafts Council January 1993)
Page 102, of Rachael Woodman it includes ' In 1985 she was the co-founder of Wilkin and Woodman Glass, Bath.'
page 98, of Neil Wilkin it includes ' In 1984 he established Wilkin and Woodman Glass in partnership with Rachael Woodman in Bath.'
m
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According to this CV of Paul Musgrove, Charlie Meaker seems to have had a studio or an operation at a place called Strawberry Studios on Jersey C.I. at that time.
Perhaps Rachael was working there when this piece was made?
https://musworks.co.uk/about-2/cv/
'Jun – Aug 86 Glass maker in residence – For Charlie Meaker – Strawberry Studios, Jersey, C I.'
In the book Contemporary British Glass 1993 it does say (page 102) that Rachael was assistant to Charlie Meaker in Germany in 1982 so there is a connection with him.
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Another piece here
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Art-Glass-Vase-by-Rachael-Woodman-1984-Jersey-Pink-Blue-with-Stopper-/371925472029?hash=item56987c531d:g:CS4AAOSwnF9Y7kOo
similar colouring, also marked Jersey.
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I've just been reading through an earlier Adrian Sassoon Gallery catalogue with a bio of Rachael, and it says the partnership with Neil Wilkin began in 1985. "In 1985, a year after she graduated from the RCA, Woodman set up Wilkin & Woodman Glass with Neil Wilkin. The two worked symbiotically. Neil Wilkin was the specialist glassblower in the partnership while she concentrated on the cutting, grinding and polishing skills that she had worked so hard to perfect." So it seems that Roy's bowl pre-dates this partnership, but again the list of dates in this catalogue has that two year gap between 1984-1986!
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this page from also supports that RW graduated from the RCA in 1984
http://www.dankleinglass.com/exhibitions/COLLECT2007Catalogue.pdf
However I think it is possible that the link with Jersey may be a link to her working with Charlie Meaker possibly at whatever were Strawberry Studios? perhaps just after she graduated?
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I've made contact with Marc McCarty, the glassblower at the Devil's Hole on Jersey (https://www.facebook.com/MarcMccarty123/), he's the only working glassblower on the island at this time, and asked if he knew of Rachael having worked on Jersey but he came up blank as well.
We know that Charlie Meaker was on Jersey in 1986 (link in reply #6 above) which would appear to be The Strawberry Farm, St.Peter as mentioned here (http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/domesday/dblock/CI-558000-5452000/page/14) from 1986 and again as "Strawberry Farm - glass blowing, leather workers, craft goods as well as strawberries" here (http://tonymusings.blogspot.com/2011/11/lost-jersey.html) so that presumably is where Strawberry Studios comes in. I can't (so far) find any more glassworkers connected to Strawberry Farm other than Paul Musgrove in the link M posted in reply #6 above and Jane Charles (http://www.limetreegallery.com/news/jane-charles-glass/27/) who was at Strawberry Farm Glassworks, Jersey, c.1984-86.
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Thanks Anne and m for the extra info which I have only just noticed so sorry for the late reply. I have not found anything more out myself.
Thanks Roy
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Stewart Hearn's CV says that he was 'Occasional Glassmaker's assistant' during the period 83-86 to Charlie Meaker, Jim Griffiths, and Rachael Woodman and Neil Wilkin.
Another link between Rachael Woodman and Charlie Meaker.
http://www.londonglassworks.com/stewarthearn/images/cv/Stewart_Hearn_C.V.pdf
m
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this is an interesting piece:
Apparently the auction listing says:
'a modern Art Deco style glass bowl by Charlie Meaker of Ireland' (don't know who that might be? but the bowl has some similarity in design with Rachael's bowl )
https://www.goldingyoung.com/Lot/?sale=LN210813&lot=96&id=356587
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Thank you m for those 2 links all very interesting.
Roy
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Hi :)
My name is Tracey Weston and I worked with Rachael Woodman at Strawberry Farm Glassworks (Charlie Meakers Jersey studio - 1983-1986) in the summer of 1984.
She made these types of bowl that summer in a variety of colours.
After I graduated from Stourbridge College in 1985, I went to work for Rachael ay her and Neil Wilkins studio in Bath.
At that time Neil, Steve Bradley and myself made all Rachaels one-off pieces (she did all the cold-work - grinding, sandblasting and acid-etching) - but on Jersey these bowls were made by Rachael herself as production pieces.
Hope this was helpful ;)
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Hi Tracey and welcome to the board :)
Thank you so much for joining in. It's always really appreciated to hear first hand information! And really helpful to fill in details that can be few and far between in books. It's a shame if that information is not recorded so this is great to know :)
I have a few pieces by Neil. They are on the board somewhere. I think at least one bottle style piece may have been made been whilst you were working at the studio as iirc it's dated 1986.
Thank you again.
m