Work with Waves, Slaithwaite

I recently visited my local day centre in Slaithwaite, Waves to teach my first fused glass class at the centre. Waves is a brilliant group offering meaningful opportunities to adults with all types of learning difficulties. I worked with a group of eight participants to create a beautiful selection of Christmas tiles which are on there way to being fired back at my studio this week. Next Monday I look forward to a visit from the group to collect their work and see how an artists studio is run.

Family fused glass class in Huddersfield

On 13th December I will be running a drop in family Fused glass memories christmas decoration class.

Make your own Christmas memory decorations. You may bring your own photos to work from or alternatively take inspiration from my own array of images.

The class will be suitable for both children and adults age 5+ (parental supervision is required).

Small decorations £10 large £20. (Price includes materials, tuition and finished personal decoration to take home after firing) Free parking is available.

Booking is advisable for large groups or to ensure a specific time slot. Classes will run between 11am until 4pm. Email: info@alxcreations.com or call 07789503729 to book.

Classes take place at: Alx Creations, Unit 3B, Spa Field Industrial Estate, Slaithwaite, Huddersfield, HD7 5BB.

New collection- "lost in time"

Lost in time' -  Mixed media glass design based on the hidden beauty of locations lost in time.

Fountains Abbey

Fountains Abbey was founded in 1132 by thirteen Benedictine mon

ks from St Mary's Abbey in York seeking a simpler life, who later became Cistercian monks. Under the Cistercian rules they worked hard, lived mainly in silence, followed a diet barely above subsistence level, and wore the regulation habit of coarse undyed wool. The hard work of the monks lead to the Abbey becoming one of the richest religious sites in England. The 14th century saw economic collapse due to the combined effects of bad harvests, Scots raids, the Black Death and financial mismanagement. Following the Dissolution of the Monasteries in 1539 by Henry VIII, the Abbey buildings and over 500 acres of land were sold to Sir Richard Gresham, a merchant. For a few months after the Dissolution, the abbey buildings stood empty and by 1540 most of the glass and lead had been stripped and sold off. Fountains Hall was built but the Abbey fell into a state of disrepair. Now only the ruins remain to remind us of its long lost history.

This piece depicts the darkest days of the Abbey and its fall into ruin leaving only the memory of the monks who one inhabited it.

Ancoats

The development of Ancoats began in the late 1700s, and peaked during the Industrial Revolution, when Manchester became known as 'Cottonopolis'. Mills sprung up all over and homes were built for the hundreds of workers. Eventually cotton spinning ended in Manchester and other uses were found for the mills: clothes manufacture, machinery repairs and warehouses for imported goods' rag trade. By the 1960’s most trades had moved abroad and the area fell into further decline. Many workers moved away from the area and many mills lay empty. The area eventually became derelict leaving only a few remaining residents living among the empty ruins. In 1989, part of Ancoats was designated a Conservation Area and 13 buildings listed due to the areas historical significance as and industrial suburb. Thanks to this the area became a site listed for regeneration.

This piece shows the rise of the new Ancoats from the darkness of its former decline.

Age UK Sheffield class

Alx Creations collaborated with Age UK Sheffield to run a voluntary fused glass class for members of their day centre. 

The class taught them how to used a combination of copper foils and frits to create individual memory jewellery and tiles.  

All of the participants worked well to create some beautiful unique pieces. The feedback we received was brilliant stating that all the residents enjoyed learning something new and thoroughly enjoyed their session. Thank you to everyone who took part. 

  

Alx Creations is available to run classed for a variety of groups. Please contact info@alxcreations.com to find out more about sessions available. 

WW1 Centenary - Tatton Park commemorative flame

  

The 4th August 2014 marked the centenary of the start of WW1. 900,000 British lives were lost in a war that lasted over 4 years. Let us never forget the great sacrifice of those who lost their lives so that we could live in freedom.

To mark the centenary, Alx Creations was commissioned to create a commemorative flame for Tatton Park, Cheshire. The unveiling was accompanied by an ceremony attended local dignitaries. The flame will remain lit until the 11th November 2018, Armistice Day.   

Let it stand as a reminder to us all of the atrocities of war and of all the lives lost in conflict worldwide both then and today. 

They shall grow not old,    

as we that are left grow old:

Age shall not weary them,

nor the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun

and in the morning,

We will remember them

  ‘For the Fallen’ Laurence Binyon 1914  

More information about the centenary project is available at Cheshire East Reflects

Coverage in: Macclesfield Express, Knutsford Guardian and Cheshire Today

Commemorative flame for Tatton Park

Alx Creations is currently working with Cheshire East Reflects to produce a a commemorative flame for Tatton Park in remembrance of the brave men and women of Cheshire East who gave their lives in the Great War. Cheshire East reflects is a four year long programme run by Cheshire East Council to commemorate the centenary or the First World War. The commemorative flame will stand outside the Mansion at Tatton Park for the duration of the project and will be lit daily from 4th August 2014 until 4th August 2018. After this the piece will then be moved inside. 

The piece will allow visitors to Tatton Park and the flame to gain a glimpse into the lives of the local people during the First World War. The surround will be created from kiln formed glass with a cast concrete base. The glass will be formed to include the imprints of images of Cheshire East during WW1 and words will be sandblasted into the glass in commemoration of the great men of East Cheshire who gave their lives to protect us. The flame represents an eternal memory. We owe a debt of gratitude to those men and women of the Great War. Seeing the flame through glass represents how we today picture the war, with slightly blurred vision; time and memory may distort the images but those images will never be extinguished from our hearts and minds. Visitors can view the flame litterally ‘through’ the words and pictures of those who were there. 

Children's workshops

Family Fused Glass Workshops

Alx Creations will be running three family friendly fused glass workshop sessions on Tuesday 27th May. Don't miss the opportunity to do something different this half term. 

Spaces are strictly limited to 6 participants per session. Classes are open to everyone age 6+ (all children must be supervised). 

Session 1: 12:30 - 1:30 Make your own fused glass tile art £17

Session 2: 1:45 - 3:00 Make your own monster £23

Session 3: 3:15 - 4:15 Make your own fused glass tile art £17

Classes will be held at Slaithwaite community centre in the small hall.

For more information and to book your place please email me at: info@alxcreations.com or call: 07789503729.