A River Walk in Colour
My dream was to be a ballerina when I left school but I soon learnt that my legs were nowhere near the required length. My other dream was to be an artist. On leaving school at 16, I didn’t become a ballerina or an artist, but started my first job in the personnel department for Green Shield Stamps in Edgware. Some of you may remember the stamps. but then you may not admit to it, as it would be showing your age!
It wasn’t long before I knew that this was not what I wanted to do for the rest of my life, so with some persuasion, I managed to get transferred to another department. I went from the first floor to the third, from doing 60 words a minute typing a letter, to churning out 60-100 posters a day writing big bold lettering to promote special offers for FineFare and Safeway! My new job was being creative in the Advertising Department!
Over the years I worked for several graphic design companies in and around London, but my most adventurous job was when I lived in Hong Kong. I worked for a company called Format and was asked to head up the 1978 Hong Kong Arts Festival. This involved everything from the large posters to souvenir books, even the performance tickets. It was scary but life changing, I certainly learnt a lot at such a young age.
“My dream was to be a ballerina when I left school, but I soon learnt that my legs were nowhere near the required length. My other dream was to be an artist.”
Family life took over with my three sons, then one day I felt the need to get back out there being creative. So, I booked myself on a BTEC course at Northbrook hoping to learn new skills in graphics.
Sadly they didn’t have any computers on that course way back in 1997, so they could not teach more than i knew already. I opted for Fine Art instead. During this time, a lovely friend of mine asked if I would like to learn stained glass, using the copper-foil technique, perfected by Tiffany, and that she would teach me all I needed to know. Thinking, I had nothing to lose, I gave it a go and it was love at first break!
Over several weeks and months, we met up and I cut, ground and soldered glass together, practising on small items like robins and candle holders. Then eventually, I ventured out and designed my first lamp!
My very first lamp, ‘Daffodils’, blossomed from a really intricate design I had drawn up, consisting of many hundreds of tiny pieces of glass. After 6 weeks of lovingly, cutting, copper-foiling, soldering my first stained glass lamp was created. My whole heart and soul was put into it. It was my baby and I did not want to sell it.
“I have never changed my love for small pieces of glass, all my lamps and most of my work always seem to be made up of many pieces. Consequently, my lamps do take a very long time to make, easily two to six weeks depending on the design.”
The lamp was eventually sold to a wonderful couple from Hove, who I had got to know over the period of making the lamp. Hazel was determined to purchase it at any cost, as she had watched every moment of its creation! For me, it was an easy decision as it was going to a good home. I knew the lamp would be loved and bloom for many years. They now have three of my lamps!
I have never changed my love for small pieces of glass, all my lamps and most of my work always seem to be made up of many pieces, the more the merrier. Can’t help it, just love the way they all shimmer and glisten in the light adding movement, bringing it to life. Consequently, my lamps do take a very long time to make, easily two to six weeks depending on the design.
I have found over all these years working with glass, that my inspiration has never wavered from my own back garden, just love the small wild flowers that pop up each season. Spring being the best with snowdrops, poppies, lily of the valley and crocuses, followed by daffodils and tulips, all fabulous colours. Then comes the flurry of fabulous purple Irises with their structured leaves. Also, I feel I am extremely lucky to be living in Shoreham with the South Downs and coastline all in walking distance, it never stops to inspire me. In my work, I try and capture the essence of nature.
With glass, I find it is very mood enhancing. The light of day changes the mood, a light-catcher or window panel will come to life in full sun or gently twinkle in the twilight. The flickering of movement outside brings a window to life. It’s quite magical.
When we moved to Shoreham around 6 years ago, one of the first things my husband asked for was a window to go into our bedroom to block off the terrible view of our neighbour’s boring wall. He asked for the view, we would have had, had the street not been built, no challenge then!
So, I knocked down all the buildings and made the view from our window, the river Adur, looking upstream to the wooden Toll Bridge, onto Lancing College then to the old derelict cement works. I tried to capture the folding mud banks at low tide, with the wild flowers that grow up on the grassy banks, Poppies, Daisies and Sweet Williams. The boats bobbing up and down on the river. The hues of greens over the hills. A lot of ‘capturing’ had to be done!
So, 5 years ago I finally got designing, photographing and sketching. I then started cutting glass and positioning it on my design. The cutting of glass continued for the whole of the 5 years! How many pieces? Don’t ask!
Finally, it all came together in July 2020. The last piece was cut and positioned in place, as this was not a copper-foiling soldering piece of work, but a mosaic involving gluing and grouting.
The four panels are now installed in our home and looking rather stunning I must say. It’s such a delight to be looking over the River Adur watching the boats rather than the blank wall as before. I can now open the curtains and take a stroll down the river.
From Green shield stamps to Hong Kong! How fascinating to hear about Jose’s background and move to her artist life now. And to see snaps of workshop details, how pieces are planned and executed with such careful precision. It’s always a treat to see her work in Shoreham Art Gallery and now with a lot more appreciation for the fine detail alongside that glorious colour. Thanks!