JERSEY GLASS ART

THE exterior of St Matthew’s Church at Millbrook, Jersey scarcely merits a second glance.

Its rectilinear structure and plain outside walls compare very poorly indeed with the rich, warm granite of most of the parish churches.

Closer inspection, however, reveals that the drab shell of St Matthew’s is there merely to protect an interior that is glorious in every respect.

The glass front doors are the first clue, but even these fail to prepare new visitors for what lies beyond them,

namely the luminous glass creations of Rene Lalique which give St Matthew’s its more popular name – the Glass Church.

Opalescent panels, a magnificent altar cross, a glass font – perhaps the only one to be found anywhere -

the Jersey lily motif, and truly wonderful, perfectly angelic Art Deco glass angels make the church one of the Island’s treasures.

Lalique, whose name remains synonymous with fine glasswork, made his name as a designer and maker of jewellery and objets d’art.

Fortunately for Jersey – and indeed the world – his house in the South of France was next to that of Florence Boot, Lady Trent,

the widow of Jesse Boot, Baron Trent, the founder of Boot’s the Chemists.

Lady Trent, whose principal residence was Villa Millbrook in Jersey, encouraged her glass artist and craftsman neighbour Rene Lalique
to design and then create new fixtures and fittings for the interior of St Matthew’s, which lies just across the road from Villa Millbrook.

The refurbished church was to be dedicated to the memory of her illustrious husband.

Lalique, who began the work in 1932, needed little persuasion. He had wanted for some time to extend his repertoire into the architectural field.

The peerless results of his endeavours, which were completed in 1934, are still there to be seen, and marvelled at, today.

Lalique, who was born in 1860 and died in 1945, was noted for the elegance of the forms he designed.

Form is certainly important in the Glass Church, but much of the magic of the effect created there comes from the material chosen, verre blanc moule-presse.

This milky opaque glass makes light behave strangely, bathing the interior of the church in a soft, serene, ethereal glow

entirely fitting for a place of reverence, worship and commemoration.

Although the Glass Church is most readily associated with the names of Lalique and his patron, Lady Trent,

we should not forget that another important figure played a part in its design.

The Jersey architect A B Grayson is perhaps best known for his Art Deco private houses, many examples of which are still to be seen around the Island.

At St Matthew’s his designs for the oak pews, the pulpit and the lectern complement the glass and make their own contribution

to what can only be regarded as the Island’s most remarkable piece of interior design.

This article first appeared in the Jersey Evening Post as part of the Pride in Jersey series, marking the Island’s 1204-2004 celebrations.

TO GO TO ST. MATHEWS CHURCH (GLASS CHURCH) HOME PAGE

http://www.glasschurch.org/lalique_experience/experience_lalique.html

GLASS WITH METALS

These amazing forged metals and cast glass gates were made by a collaboration of artists. The initial design including the heads was by Neil Mackenzie of Visionary Fine Arts

The metals were forged by members of Rylance Limited

The glass was cast by Julie Bolton at Jersey Glass Art studio.

The team of metalworkers and blacksmiths were: Nathan Twomey, Kate Webber and Fil Guy.

The guilding was done by Catriona Ellery.

There are two iron gates each with two cast glass heads back to back.

The heads are held in place with a copper band.

The four heads are made of two slightly different designs,

they were cast with bullseye glass billets.

There are up lighters that highlight the gates and illuminate the glass at night time.

View at night of the closed gates with the illuminated glass.

Sorry about the quality of the images at night, It was hard to get the glass and metals to show well

but I think you can get an idea of how they look

*********

HERE IS A SELECTION OF CAST CRYSTAL DESIGNED AND HANDMADE BY GLASS ARTIST/DESIGNER JULIE BOLTON

AT THE JERSEY GLASS ART STUDIO

CAST CRYSTAL GLASS with COPPER OXIDE designed/made by JULIE BOLTON (BA HONS) at the GLASS ART STUDIO, JERSEY

*********

WHAT’S ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS PEOPLE STOP BUYING DURING A RECESSION?

Luxury goods, which is how ‘ART’ of any sort is described. When people have less cash to spend they’re going to spend it on food, mortgage, household bills etc. They may see some Art and long to buy it but basic necessities take preference. So, that leaves us as artists struggling to make a living in the thing we love best – Our Art. Well, I may have a solution for you. CLICK on the LINK directly below for more information on how to make money from your artwork.

Good Luck and I hope it works for you. CLICK ON THE BANNER BELOW NOW FOR MORE INFORMATION

*********

Jacqueline Knight MFA Thesis Show. Cast glass and other media. School of Art and Design at Alfred University. Duration : 0:1:37

Cast Glass art for collectors and placement for architectural settings Duration : 0:7:28

*********

LEARN HOW TO GENERATE CASH USING TWITTER! Click Here!

*********

Steel, glass sculpture dedicated in Fairbanks

FAIRBANKS – A perforated stainless steel and glass sculpture that represents a topographical view of the Alaska landscape has been installed at the new terminal of the Fairbanks International Airport. “Tanana” is the third of four commissioned art pieces for the new terminal. It was dedicated Wednesday. The multi-paneled wall replaces plastic glass that encased stairs descending from the upper terminal to the baggage claim and meeting area. Artist David Ruth, a glass sculptor from Oakland, Calif., said the 15 panels show a topographical relief of a stretch of the Yukon River. Etched into the panels by a computer-driven water-jet machine are wavy elevation contour lines indicating distant mountains and river islands, marsh icons and a map grid that “holds the whole thing together.” The inset water sections reveal an iced-over river made of Pyrex with slight color variations that comes with heating. “It has the characteristic of making these white veils on the edges as it fuses,” Ruth explained of the reaction when superheating Pyrex. “Then we polished out the surfaces. You can see through a lot of it, but it’s got this ice-like veiling that goes on in the inside of the glass.” Ruth said he was initially approached to create a traditional sculpture for the waiting area outside the glass at the bottom of the stairs.