North Lands Glass

As I said in a previous post, I had spent time wandering round the National Museum of Scotland. Whilst I was wandering I came across an exhibition of glass tucked away in a corner of the third floor of the new part of the Museum.

The exhibition was called "Reflection: A Decade of North lands Creative Glass"

North Lands Creative Glass was set up in 1995 in the North Eastern coastal village of Lybster, Caithness, in response to a growing interest in using glass as a medium for artistic expression. Every summer masters and practitioners of glass and related art forms from all over the world gather together in this small Scottish fishing village in the spirit of artistic and technical collaboration. Inspired as much by the magical Caithnesss light and landscape as by the skills they learn there; they travel from far and wide to what is now considered one of Europe's principal centres of excellence for creative glass.

This exhibition looks back at the first 10 years of this prestigious school. It brings together, for the first time, this exceptional collection of work created and generously donated by masters, students and residents in recognition of their attachment to North Lands.

I took a few pix of the pieces that I liked.......I hope you are impressed too.

This is a piece called "Sting" is by Ray Flavell, from Scotland and he was the technical Director in 1996 and a founder member of the North lands Creative Glass Advisory Council.

This glass sculpture has two blown sections held in a shaped flat glass structure. It is amber and clear glass with sand blasted and cut decoration.


This sculpture is called "Whaligoe" and is by Marea Timoko from New Zealand. She was an artist in residence in 2005.

This cast glass group was inspired by the women of Whaligoe in Caithness, who carried herring baskets up the 365 Whaligoe steps. Whaligoe is a natural harbour in use at the peak of the herring fishing era. When the boats arrived local women would carry the herring back up the steps in baskets balanced on their heads.



This cut glass composition called "Sky, sea, earth" is by Loretta Lowman from the USA. It has a frosted glass base, a moulded green square and a frosted glass fish tail.
Loretta was an artist in residence in 2003.

I really love this piece of art work as it is so "life like" and it reminded me of my childhood being brought up in a fishing community and coming face to face with fish on an almost daily basis.



I wish I had taken more pix of this wonderful exhibition coz it was truly amazing.