Thurso artist has a busy schedule during International Year of Glass

Thurso glass artist Ian Pearson says he is "buzzing with ideas" as he prepares for a hectic schedule of events during 2022 – designated by the United Nations as International Year of Glass.

First on the agenda will be a presentation to the Contemporary Glass Society, which is celebrating 25 years and has more than 1000 members worldwide – most of whom participate in glass art.

The event will take place over Zoom. Ian will explain his style of working glass in an open flame and how the scientific aspects of this technique are benefiting the arts community.

Ian will be demonstrating glass-working techniques at the International Festival of Glass at the end of August in Stourbridge, in the West Midlands.

He is also on the organising board planning a symposium by the British Society of Scientific Glassblowers in Leeds in September, following which he will be among a group of international scientific glassblowers travelling to Germany for a conference. The journey will take in the Paris school of scientific glassblowing which is one of the largest of its kind in Europe.

Closer to home, during the summer Ian will hold open studio days at his premises in Thurso's Riverside Road. In addition, he plans to organise pop-up events that may involve installations of glassware in unusual or unexpected locations.

Ian trialled the idea last summer when a series of pieces of technical glassware appeared in Sir John's Square in the town centre.

He said: "Caithness has a history of being connected to glass and I'm keen to hear from like-minded artists, craftspeople and collectors to explore the idea of holding a glass exhibition later in the year."

Ian's email address is ian.pearson1@tiscali.co.uk

Do you want to respond to this article? If so, click here to submit your thoughts and they may be published in print.