Northern Glass Innovations

Glass artists Joanne Mitchell, Laura Johnston and Sue Woolhouse show their pioneering creative spirit with an exhibition at 36 Lime Street which merges the region’s industrial heritage with innovative new artworks

To coincide with the Great Exhibition of the North, Northern Glass Innovations will showcase the work of three Newcastle-based contemporary glass artists, Joanne Mitchell, Sue Woolhouse and Laura Johnston, exhibiting together for the first time. Through their highly individual and innovative approaches to glass, the three artists explore the exciting technique of waterjet cutting, with very different and contrasting results that push the boundaries of glass as a creative medium.

The exhibition explores connections between industrial process and contemporary craft, with strong links to the North East’s industrial heritage of glassmaking. The show seeks to celebrate this history, demonstrating the excellent work of contemporary artists who are impacting the international glass scene today - from right here in Newcastle! We invite the public to meet the artists and to enter an exhibition in which their notion of an everyday material - GLASS, is transformed, presenting multiple creative applications of this exciting medium, from sculpture to installation. Visitors are invited to ask questions directly to the artists. They will discuss their creative practice and how the work is made.

36 Lime Street Gallery, Ouseburn, Newcastle NE1 2PQ

Saturday 25th August to Saturday 1st September inclusive 11.00am – 4.00pm

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Great Exhibition of the North at 36 Lime Street Studios:

The exhibition will be shown at 36 Lime Street Gallery 25th August- 1st September 2018 as part of 36 Lime Street’s Great Exhibition of the North Programme. 36 Lime Street Studios in Newcastle’s Ouseburn District is the oldest and largest studio group in the North East, housing over 40 artists -the heart of the city’s creative quarter. The project will directly engage thousands of visitors to the Great Exhibition of the North this summer. The venue for the exhibition is in a key location on the ‘Design trail’, one of the three major designated trails that visitors will be encouraged to follow.

www.36LimeStreet.co.uk

http://36limestreet.co.uk/event/36-lime-street-great-exhibition-of-the-north-programme/

Artist Info:

Joanne Mitchell (PhD): For over 15 years Joanne has worked as an independent glass artist in the North East, focusing on glass as sculptural expression. Prior to setting up her studio at National Glass Centre, Sunderland, in 2003, she worked as a glass designer for industry. In 2012, she moved her practice to renowned studios 36 Lime Street. Mitchell’s PhD research broke technical ground, exploring how intricate air bubbles can be meticulously controlled inside solid glass forms through use of digital technology. She has exhibited in numerous galleries across the UK, Europe and America.

Laura Johnston (PhD) works with installation and light projection, having completed numerous large-scale public art projects and commissions across the UK. The amazing power of light to transform our experience of space is at the heart of her work. Installing suspended glass works in urban settings, with use of light integral to how the work is received, her innovative practice explores how artwork can be used to elevate mood and promote wellbeing. In 1997 Laura completed the UK’s first practice-led PhD at the University of Sunderland, exploring the architectural application of coated glass. Driven by the belief that our physical environment has a direct impact on how we feel, research continues to inform her studio’s approach to working with glass, light and space.

Sue Woolhouse MA (RCA) began her career in the North East as a freelance lecturer at Sunderland University, and since 1989 her practice has been based at 36 Lime Street. Her practice is deeply embedded within the community which culminated in being selected for a joint ArtWorks Fellowship with Effie Burns in 2016, a national project overseen by Barbican and funded by the Paul Hamlyn Foundation. ArtWorks is a scheme supporting artists who work directly with the public sharing their skills and inspiring creativity. Classes are run weekly from her studio open to all as well as working with Equal Arts and the National Glass Centre as part of the Creative Age Challenge project, working alongside people with early on set Dementia.