NORTH LANDS NO MORE?
Not sure at the time of writing this blog whether my favourite glass goodie land called North Lands Creative in downtown Lybster, Caithness is still in business. I have so many fond memories of the glass studio that to hear of it potentially closing fills my heart with dismay. It is like a bereavement of glory days. When thinking of glass furnaces then the term “glory” seems very appropriate. Yet there is not much glory in such a creative generating home being stifled.
My memories of North Lands Creative Glass date back to when “Glass” did appear in the description of the building. Of course, the concept of the studio was more than a building and I felt cheated when the main descriptive word of “Glass” was dropped. Had the “fun” been kicked out the “Fun Palace”? It was a place I used to run around soaking up the glass experiences. The demos, the workshops, the exhibitions. Basically, it allowed me to show off like nowhere else would tolerate. Anything and everything were possible, so I just bit the bullet and went for it. It was a glass bullet that I chewed over and over again.
My first and only solo exhibition took place at North Lands. The excitement and perceived importance to me is irreplaceable. Northlands taught me so much, yet I also gave it a good run for my money. To be paid to share my glass passion with others was more than a bonus it was like giving a dying man his life back. And to be paid for milage too!!!!!!!!!!!! What more could I ask. Well actually it would have been nice to see Northlands still existing as it did once. A haven for glassy like-minded expressive drama kings and queens.
I met my first glass sheep lady at North Lands. In fact, it is up until today my only glass sheep lady. Her name is Carrie Fertig, a well-known glass artist and the start of an artistic friendship. I took on a workshop that Carrie was due to lead when a family bereavement halted proceeding. With me stepping in then the students could still experience the fun of lampworking. It was this fun that was/is core to all my workshops. I exploited the experience both for my pleasure and my students. I think North Lands benefited. I remember being interviewed by Creative Scotland and when they asked me how soon my students got a chance to experience working with hot glass, I answered by saying seconds. I knew the power of participation. Nowadays some courses take an academic approach with minimal hand son experience. That’s not for me. If I felt it added to the effect, then jumping on the bench and using my feet to manipulate the glass in a flame was all in the line of business.
I remember working with several artists who quite frankly hadn’t got a clue about lampworking glass and paid me to try out their ideas. Half failed but also half succeeded far beyond anyone’s expectations. I remember spending a week making glass bulbs only for them all to me smashed on the last day. There was an artist I taught who put hot glass on her notebook and was surprised when the papers caught fire. Many a time the fire alarms went off since no one remembered to turn the heat detectors up. I remember kids running through the studio jumping over glass tubes that I had laid out for fun. Glass hurdles. I got several students to see how long we could make a glass tube. Only the wall stopped us until I opened a window, and we poke hot glass out of the windows. So, so many good memories.
I worked for a large scientific and engineering establishment for many years until I retired and in my capacity as a scientific glassblower donated many pieces of equipment to North Lands. This enabled students the chance to get unique hands-on experience of using glass working lathes and hand torches.
I am sure the flames will reignite again some day under perhaps a different banner as long as we keep the home fires burning!
Well said Ian, I certainly will miss it. We can always hope that it will be reopened as a Glass studio.