Charles Ramsay has been involved in studio glass since 1975, having been introduced to glassmaking by his great friend Peter Layton at Peter’s original glassblowing studio in Morar, Inverness-shire. The following year; Charles joined Peter in setting up the internationally renowned London Glassblowing, where he spent many years. / In 1999, Charles returned to Scotland to live, on his old croft set in the hills to the west of Inverness. There he designed and built a small glass melting furnace in his stone barn. Using stainless-steel blowing irons, each over 5 feet long, he produces by traditional glassblowing methods hand-made glass perfume bottles, paperweights and small vases. His current designs and use of colour have to some extent been inspired by the wonderful night skies of the Scottish Highlands, including the occasional aurora borealis. Many of these free-blown glass pieces feature gold, silver, or blue colours that have metallic or iridescent qualities. / Charles also makes glass jewellery, in collaboration with his daughter, Sorcha, who trained as a glassmaker at the International Glass Centre, Brierley Hill. These creations - earrings, necklaces and brooches - are highly coloured, and often features fused glass techniques. /