Recycled glass products now in Heart Gallery

coca cola glass made from a recycled coca cola bottle and sold in pairs

Who’s? Glass is a fresh, young, environmentally aware glass-making company that specialises in unique hand crafted recycled glassware. Their intentions are to transform, what in effect is simple domestic glass waste, into contemporary functional glassware products.

“ In a day where the easiest and cheapest option is mass produced, often by machines, products that have travelled half the world to arrive on the shop shelves, Who’s? Glass offers beautiful, simple designs that emphasise the essence, quality and tranquillity of Devon… ”

Lars Persson, co-owner of Who’s? Glass, is a Swedish Master Glassmaker with over 40 years skill and experience in the glass making industry. During that time Lars has produced glass for companies such as Tiffany & Co., Cartier & Wedgewood amongst many others. In May 2006 he decided to fulfil a life long dream of running his own glass making studio. Working alongside Lars is his eldest son Anders, who also has many years experience in the glass manufacturing industry and together they’ve established Who’s? Glass, Devon’s first, and at present only, glass studio specialising in recycled glassware.

Aware of rising fuel and raw material costs, the media’s constant coverage of global warming and consumer concerns of their carbon footprint Who’s? Glass intends to establish itself as the UK’s leading producer of recycled glassware products… “The recycling rates for glass in the UK is under 40%, yet many European countries recycle between 50% and 90%…” “Currently, about 3.6 million tonnes of glass is used in the UK every year and over 1 million tonnes goes to landfill…”

Every bottle they use is collected locally, heated and shaped by hand, then slowly cooled and packed. They take pride in themselves that their glass is about as environmentally friendly as it possibly can be! They use no glues, either with the glass or in their unique packaging and every piece is hand engraved instead of labelled.

” The energy saved from recycling one bottle will power: a 100W Light Bulb for almost an hour, or, a computer for 25 minutes, or, a television for 20 minutes or a washing machines for 10 minutes”

cornflakes milk jug made from a branded milk bottle

Hi-Ball green rim G & T made from a J2O bottle

THE JEWELLERY ROADSHOW – ACJ CAMBRIDGE

ACJ Cambridge are launching a new exhibition, The Jewellery Roadshow – ACJ Cambridge, in August this year. The idea is to create a travelling exhibition which will be continually travelling from gallery to gallery. Much of the work in this exhibition will be unique and different from work exhibited elsewhere. The Jewellery Roadshow – ACJ Cambridge will be launched on 29th August, with Alison Bartram owner of Heart Gallery in Hebden Bridge, to coincide with the 3rd birthday of her gallery http://www.heartgallery.co.uk With Alison’s enthusiasm, dynamic drive and wide ranging marketing skills and our creativity, the exhibition is guaranteed to get off to a flying start. Everyone involved is really excited about this collaboration and we are anticipating a busy day on Saturday 29^th August when people will be invited to join us to view our exclusive collections and enjoy a glass of fizz whilst being able to talk to all ten artists exhibiting, and of course to Alison. The Jewellery Roadshow – ACJ Cambridge will run from 29^th August 2009 until 27^th September. Invitation attached.

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Information from ACJ Cambridge member Karen Faulkner-Dunkley

In the current financial climate it is more important than ever that we are proactive in developing our creative talent, honing our practical skills, marketing our products and clinching that all important sale. Joining a group of like-minded people can be a vital part of developing and promoting talent in a given area. As a jeweller living a rural Cambridgeshire, I find conversing and sharing ideas with other creative people both inspiring and rejuvenating. When I heard about the ACJ I knew that it was an organisation that I would find enormously beneficial. This is the story so far…

The Association for Contemporary Jewellery (ACJ) was founded as a membership association in 1997 to promote, represent, understand and develop contemporary jewellery in the United Kingdom and abroad. The ACJ organizes conferences, lectures, seminars and workshops for its members, as well as publishing a quarterly newsletter featuring news, reviews and information. The ACJ is open to everyone who has an interest in contemporary jewellery. The organisation includes both professional and enthusiastic hobbyist jewellers, lecturers and students as well as gallery and shop owners. In fact anyone with a passion for jewellery can become a member.

ACJ-Cambridge is a regional branch of the ACJ, formed in 2008 to develop a network of jewellers in our local area. We meet once a month to discuss current issues, share knowledge, stimulate ideas and plan exhibitions to promote contemporary jewellery in the eastern region and beyond. A year from the group’s

initial formation, we have grown from a handful of members to our current sixteen strong team. We are a very eclectic mix of individuals with vast ranges in background, training, age and design styles. Some of our members are full time jewellers, who sell direct to the public at design shows and through galleries. A number of our full time jewellers are also lecturers in the subject and teach in a variety of schools and colleges around the county. Several of our members are part-time jewellers, juggling their creative talents with other unrelated jobs and/or young families. Our backgrounds are all very different, whilst some have had formal training up to degree and post graduate level, others are either self taught, or have only attended a few short courses. The materials we use to create our jewellery vary greatly within the group. Precious metals and stones, semi-precious stones, textiles, glass and recycled material are all used to create unique and fabulous work. We see our group as a real support network, working together to run exhibitions, functions, workshops and talks; supporting newer members who are maybe lacking in confidence and invigorating the more experienced jewellers to encourage fresh work. At Cambridge we are an increasingly active group. We have a varied skills base, a vast amount of experience, good contacts and more ideas than we have yet had time to put into action. As a fairly new group we have spent a great deal of time this year planning events and exhibitions.