Fox and Cubs
Loving the colour, and the fine heads of these bright flowers atop the slender stems. There’s a chorus of colour, Fox and Cubs and Hawkweed swaying gently in the breeze. I know it will soon meet the mower, so I am raking time with every dog walk to stop and admire the joyful song these colours sing in summer sunshine.
Rosedale’s Wildflower Church yard
Enjoyed a Sunday stroll around Rosedale’s Church Yard noting the different wildflowers. The Church yard is a little bit of wilderness in this heavily grazed landscape. It has enjoyed protection as a conservation area for many years and the mowing has ceased on a great swathe of the oldest part of the graveyard. The grass and wildflowers are left uncut until late July – mid August. Whats growing in there is a delight to see amongst the headstones (The earliest one I’ve found so far dates back to 1721) . We took a tour with my mother in law who had yet to be convinced of the full benefit of the no mow policy, and I like to think she was persuaded.
The White Rose of Yorkshire
When you visit the studio, you may notice a solitary white rose protruding from the Cotoneaster. This Iceberg Rose has been there 25 years now.
It was planted along with many others after a short discussion with our landlord. Back in 1995. Then Rosedale was much busier with visitors than it is today. All summer long we were packed out with folks watching the glassmaking and families leaning in the windows to get the best view. The folks leaning in the windows became quite a distraction. I suggested we planted attractive Red Roses and lavender along the front of the building to discourage folks blocking of the windows, and discussed the idea with the landlord, who at that time was my was my Father in-law.
Harry was a lovely man, a trained negotiator with stern poker face, but with an amazing set of eyebrows that somehow always revealed what he truly thought. So, I asked if I could plant red roses to help solve the window problem and was fixed with a stare that came out from under his wonderful eyebrows. This stare said many things, but the clearest message was no. White Roses were though, acceptable and white roses went in. However, it soon became clear that they were suffering underfoot and they were all removed and the sturdy cotoneaster planted.
However, this single white rose remains, every year it pushes its way though the cotoneaster to flower in front of the window. I always think of Harry, a Yorkshire gentleman.
Red Clover Bowl
The interior of the red clover bowl with the complex overlaying layers of leaves and stems. Every bowl has a four leafed clover within the design for good luck. This bowl is a complex design with 33 individual elements.
There’s a wide range of magical powers attributed to Clover which is perhaps due to their undeniable healing powers, it’s understood to be a tonic to the whole body. Aside from all the attributes of this wildflower, I love this beautiful tiny bloom and it’s sweet nectar, which takes me back to my childhood.
The image shows the colour of the bowl in daylight, a plum/purple colour with the warm pink lip wrap.
Making Glass
Love this material and all it does. It’s a challenge to work with in every sense, but the results and the interplay with light that result are deeply satisfying.
I’ve got a new camera to play with (borrowed) and I am really enjoying the results, being up close to the process and seeing the images appear. Happily, knowing the making process and hot shop well I can nip in a snap in between key moments of working without the glassmakers growling at me too much.
We’ve been working towards finishing making all the blanks for the new Red Clover bowl, and now we start work engraving each bowl.
Making a Red Clover Bowl
Dropping a foot, making a bowl for our new Red Clover limited edition. Our second seasonal design of 2020 a warm heliotrope bowl with a warm pink lip wrap, hand blown engraved glass.
The gather of hot glass is dropped from a bit iron onto the base of the bubble, cut free from the iron and shaped to form the clear glass foot on the base of each bowl.
Red Clover – Limited Edition Summer 2020
Our second limited edition design of 2020 is The Red Clover
Join our mailing list for the launch.
We make 75 small bowls H11cm ø15 cm and 25 large bowls H15cm ø18cm. Inside cased, engraved free blown glass.
The colour is on the inside of the bowl and this fine layer is engraved away to create the delicate design.
Of all the flower’s we have so far worked with, this sweet plant has one of the richest medicinal, folk lore and culinary purposes.
Clovers are rich in nutrients and vitamins and the leaves and flowers can be added to salads or used as garnish and the florets of the flowers can be individually plucked and sucked to taste the sweet nectar.
It’s so important for bumblebees and the flower is commonly known as Bee Bread.
The fourleaf clover will bring you luck in our time, but our forebares used it to ward off everything from evil spirits to freckles and give you the ability to see fairies.
The three leaved “Clover is a very shamanic plant allowing one to see into and interact with the Otherworld. It is a good talisman for protection and power for travelling out of body and walking between worlds.”
All in all, this is just a small sample of the folklore of this beautiful wildflower.
Plant Life – Fen Ditton Gallery
Plantlife is the third in an annual series of exhibitions at Fen Ditton Gallery that focus on the natural world.
A developing part of the gallery programme this series foregrounds artists, makers and designers across media who draw particular inspiration from the natural world and create memorable objects and images in response.
All exhibits are for sale and a proportion of sale proceeds will go to support Plantlife’s campaign for better management of road verges. You can learn more at plantlife.love-wildflowers.org.uk
Works range from a magnificent 2msq printed and stitched quilt by leading textile artist Pauline Burbidge to drawings by the sculptor Nigel Hall and black and white photographs by Lotte Attwood and Paul Hart. A new group of exquisite hand pierced and hand engraved Gingko leaf brooches by master artist-engraver Malcolm Appleby are complemented by a beautiful, hand-painted and pierced gold Daisy Necklace by Christopher Thompson Royds. Sculptor Lizzie Farey shows some of her vivid willow drawings and the art of engraving on glass is represented by a pair of Goosegrass vases from Katharine Coleman (this weed never looked so good!) and a glowing yellow Buttercup Vase by Yorkshire duo Studio Gillies Jones.
Opening Our Doors June 15th
We are pleased to say, in accordance with the guidelines and current safety protocols, we will be opening our doors and resume our usual opening hours from next Monday :-
Monday – Saturday 10 – 4pm
Sunday 2 – 4pm
Both of Rosedale’s village tea rooms are open for takeaway tea coffee, cake and sandwiches.
If you can’t get here in person, our website has undergone a refresh which includes accepting international payments online and of course, keep an eye on our Instagram and Facebook accounts for pics and studio news.
We look forward to seeing you.
Stephen & Kate
Opaque Bowls – Forget me Not Blue
These bowls have been with us since we opened our doors twenty five years ago. It’s a timeless form and at home in a contemporary or traditional home. Hope you enjoy the pics of the colours of the bowls set against the wealth of colour in the natural word.
