Glass
glass
noun a hard, brittle substance, typically transparent or translucent, made by fusing sand with soda and lime and cooling rapidly
ORIGIN - Old English glæs, of Germanic origin; related to Middle LowGerman Glas (brightness)
- from the Oxford English dictionary
Glassmaking as a craft is thought to date back to around 3,500 BCE as a glaze on vessels or beads. From the 16th Century BCE, glass vases were produced in Mesopotamia, hollow glasses and jewellery in Egypt, and the craft also evolved in Greece and China. When glassblowing was created in Syria centuries later, and as glassmaking techniques were subsequently embraced and adapted by the Romans, the variety of shapes and uses for glass objects greatly increased.
As the middle ages approached, processes were invented which allowed for the production of sheets of glass, stained or left clear and fitted together using lead strips, giving us stained glass. Over time, further techniques were developed to give us clearer, brighter, more resilient glass to use in windows, mirrors, and decorative pieces. With technologies invented to automate the production of glass vessels and sheets, and scientists investigating the chemical properties of glass, the craft evolved to include an indispensible industry.
craftscotland represent some 150 craft makers working with glass. Disciplines such as stained glass window making, glass bead making, lampworking, kiln-firing and glassblowing are used by makers around Scotland, in both traditional and contemporary ways.
Craft Scotland Glass Maker Profiles
Featured Glass Film
Craft Scotland - making connections, creating opportunities.
Craft Scotland, 15 Coburg Street, Leith, Edinburgh, EH6 6ETCraft Scotland is a company limited by guarantee registered in Scotland no. SC 270245
A registered Scottish Charity no. SC 039491
