Anne Somers

I work with glass from at my home in Kelso, I have a lovely workshop overlooking the garden and kiln in the garage.  I love the colour in glass and the fact it is so versatile. It can be used to make jewellery, simple ornaments, pictures or 3D pieces and can be displayed both inside and outside to great effect. Even after over 20 years of working with glass I still get a thrill every time I open the kiln and see how everything has turned out.

The majority of fused glass pieces that I make, are created by cutting sheets of specialist glass into detailed shapes and forming pictures and patterns, adding in powders, frit (small fragments of glass) & stringers (long pulled strings of glass). This is then fired in a kiln to a temperature of approximately 760°C. The firing cycle is critical to the successful fusing of glass and must increase and decrease at a controlled rate to prevent the glass from cracking.

Other elements can be added to the glass such as oxides, metal and other specialist glass such as millefiori beads or dichroic glass. Plates and dishes are formed by allowing the glass to “slump” into pre-formed moulds.

I’ve recently returned to my native Scotland after many years living in Lancashire and am enjoying exploring the countryside. The glass I use reflects the vast range of colours found in nature. I am currently making a series of treescapes through the seasons, as well as millwheels, which come in a range of colours and are suitable to sit outdoors to add interest in a garden. 

All the items are individually handmade, and a wide range is available to buy from my Etsy Shop – Ark Glass, I attend craft fairs which I list on my website: www.ark-glass.co.uk or follow me on Facebook @Arkglass