Co[]ect

Lots of ideas at Co[]ect, as always - though nothing really sang out at me. A lot of it said 'executive boardroom' -- expensive large items that required cool grey spaces around them. Nice pots; whacky jewellery; over-glossy glass. Took this picture (before being told photography wasn't allowed - no one complained last year) of a piece called Mad Abacus Banana 1 by Carl Hahn (£2350) because I quite liked it as a display idea. Had to resort to scribbling in my sketchbook after that, which concentrates the mind (quite rightly) and makes you more picky about what you record.

Table jewellery

I'm tremendously excited by this roundel that we did this week (I make the original bowl and assist and direct in the hotshop) because I am at last getting the effect I want - abstract watercolour effect; large, but quite jewel-like. This is the most successful of my 'ghost bowl' series so far. The picture doesn't really do justice to its size and translucency. The second one (below) is pretty nice too, but more experimental. We did a roll-up with some of my pâte de verre colour samples. One got caught at the rim, which gives me an idea for doing a lip-wrap on the next one.

Talking about tools

These are the technical assistant's own tools (he's really a glass-blower, not a technician). He got them out to show me today. Some are very specialised - to make eyes and fins for glass fish, for example. Not sure I would want to.

He helped me make a some marmalade jars - here's one of them. They're for a friend who wants to enter a marmalade-making competition. I don't think this one will enhance her brand - silly program has posted it on its side. But there are 3 more cooling overnight. Maybe she'll like one of them.

Setting out my stall

One of the (mildly) humiliating things you have to do for an MA is fulfill the academic requirements - set out in incomprehensible documentation with language that means quite little and demands Learning Outcomes (their capitals) that aren't clear. So I've been having a bit of quiet fun seeing if I can tick their boxes, but in a set of tins that relate to the project briefs. The metaphor is about doing what it says on the tin. These will go with my written essays for submission next week. I've had fun, anyway.