The morning that we spent at the National Glass Centre was very quiet, meaning our members could wander at will around the exhibitions, some showcasing contemporary art glass. The permanent display of glass making in Sunderland covered the early emergence of an industrial centre, its development and the range of companies based there, including the iconic Pyrex ware.
As befits its name, the building itself is mostly glass and on this day was filled with sunlight, showing the exhibits off to great effect.
The highlight of our visit was undoubtedly the glass blowing demonstration. Two experts with many years experience took us step by step through the production of a large vase, explaining the techniques and materials involved as the molten glass was shaped. The colours, originating from various metals, were added in layers. We learned that the pink vases were more expensive because they were made using gold. The resulting vase has to be annealed for 24 hours so we were not able to see that final product but some striking and unique pieces were on display.
Below you will find a selection of photos from the visit. Please click on any image that interests you to see a larger photo.
