A little bit about how I work...

 

Ok - so my pledge last year to post on here more frequently failed but this time I will do better!

I thought I'd share with you my short bio as I've been putting it together for upcoming events, I'll bore you with the longer version next time! So here it is...

'I am a glass artist who works with recycled glass.

My main inspiration comes from the  great outdoors and the fantastic Jurassic Coast where most of our free time is spent searching for treasure, kayaking, collecting shells, driftwood and of course the ever illusive Sea Glass.

It is more important to me than I can say that we re-use our dwindling resources rather than discarding them - this is why all of the glass used in my work will have had a former life as a window, greenhouse or something completely different - this satisfies my inner Womble enormously!'

Enjoy the sunshine, I'm off now to cut boats and fish and probably trip over a small dog or two! Kx

It's been too long...

Oh my goodness, it's been a bloomin' age since I last wrote anything on here - I will try my very best to do better, I promise. While I'm getting my act together please accept this image by way of apology and I'll be back very soon with something new. Kx

Hello 2014...

Wishing you all a very happy 2014. May it be filled with sunny days and blue skies, clear nights filled with stars and a less complicated way of being...

A spot of Manifesting...

Time to get our acts together... a spot of manifesting is in order I've been reminded...

Thought I should use images of some of our favourite places to help the process along!

 Maybe we don't have to be at the seaside for it to be somewhere fabulous...

So here goes...

I can almost taste the Pimms while we sit in our huge wild garden on balmy summer evenings while one or two people wander around our workshop and studio deciding which of our work they will be buying. Our kids are climbing the huge trees in the garden and the animals are basking in the sun... all is right with the world.

Time to make the dreams happen...

Thank you Amanda x

Big Sky...

This has to be one of my most favourite images that I've taken recently - thought I'd share it with you!

In light of the recent terrible weather - (drought, what drought?) I just thought a sunny day was needed!

Un-ashamed Self Promotion...

In a rather uncharacteristic flash of self-promotion I'd like to introduce you to...

Daisy and Jess

Rescued Treasures & Vintage Delights

This is the business started with my lovely and very talented friend Emma - you may know her from her blog Oak Before Ash.

Daisy and Jess is the product of our passion for re-use, re-purposing and recycling and combines our love of all things (well most of them) vintage and an untreatable seaside addiction!

 

We are excited to have gone live with our beautiful Etsy shop and website www.daisyandjess.co.uk and are stupidly proud of our newest range of upcycled seaside buttons.

Made from some of the most beautiful pebbles or from periwinkles, turban top shells or sea glass beach combed from the spectacular Dorset Coast they are truly original and will add something truly unique to your handmade items or customise any shop bought cardigan!

Please let us know what you think and have a look at our website for more information. We also have a blog Daisy and Jess for random insights and often quirky things that have caught our eye!

I'll be blogging later in the week about a piece of  glass I'm making for Leanne Salisbury @leannetrekchina on Twitter as a raffle prize in her goal to raise money for the Teenage Cancer Trust - a slightly longer version of 'On my desk today...' than I tweet.

Featured Artist... That's me!!!

A bonkers but rather lovely week - they seem to be flying by at the moment - is that an age thing or are we spinning faster these days?

I'm still rather excited by having been lucky enough to be the Featured Artist this month on the Creating Trouble Blog - the lovely Alex was kind enough to feature me and allow me space for my random rambling answers to her questions - please take a minute or two to have a look...

http://www.creatingtrouble.co.uk/2012/03/artists-feature-kate-osman-glass.html?spref=tw


This is the view in my garden tonight... loving this early burst of summer weather, thank you!

On my desk...

Something about the way the sun's shining onto my desk sees me hopeful, sparks the need to make and leaves me feeling like I'm bathed in a smile...

On my desk today...

Right now I'm thinking bold... with many varied plans from melting glass to painting, sewing and planting it's all about colour for me at the moment and I'm loving it all!

With a trip to the sea almost as necessary to us as breathing is it any wonder that my thoughts turn to the vast ocean of possibility that it offers, plans are afoot and I can't wait (not sure I've ever said 'afoot' out loud!!).

Oh and just to let you know, the very lovely Fuggles Gallery is once again open - find my work there and enjoy their space, it's very welcoming. I've also started the process of uploading my work to the West Country Gallery - a daunting process but I'm getting there... slowly! My Etsy shop, Kate Osman Glass is finally up and running and although lagging a little behind my website's almost updated... A full time job this e-commerce stuff!

Snow fun...

Soggy start to the day... non-setting snow... just thought I'd share as I prepare to leave the house to walk Pickle The Geomut before the post school chaos resumes at half three!

With the recent spate of bad weather and broken greenhouses my glass stocks are flourishing and the urge to melt something is strong. May be needing thermals though...

A piece of glass for Abbas & Templecombe Primary School...

I have just made a wall hanging for my children's school to present to a teaching delegation from Nigeria. It's a way away from my usual work but the running children make me smile!

Our school is twinning with a school in Nigeria so I'm hoping that they will have a small space to hang this...

Fairies, Foraging and Forests...

Shall be spending much of the day trekking the three horrors, the lovely yet slightly grumpy other half and Pickle the Geomut through woods and fields on a scavenging expedition... Sloes and fallen branches are on the list but who knows what treasures the hedgerows and wooded walks will provide...

Am hoping too for a little Fairy inspiration for work on Monday, a spot of making and melting for that time of year I have yet to bring myself to speak out loud!

Happy days...

Fuggles...

A lovely space and my glass right in the middle of the gallery too...

Something new...

Just a quick one today but I thought I should post a few photos of some new work... Some of which is available to buy at Fuggles Gallery at the lovely Mangerton Mill. Please let me know what you think!

Back to work... Yippee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ok so after a fantastic summer holidays of camping, friends, festivals and lots of other fun stuff (like what I did there?), the kids are finally back to school and after taking only one day to get the house almost straight!! I've finally made it into the studio without assitants and it was lovely.. peaceful, a place of sanctuary, light, soft music and... very very chilly!!! What I need to know is who booked autumn to come this early? I'm soooo not done with summer yet so let me at them... I need more sunshine, more swimming in the sea, more balmy summer evenings... I'm feeling seriously cheated...

Oh and with my rant over and as an aside, the kiln is about half full with some new work in a rather different style... watch this space!

Gallery...

Exciting news...

The very lovely Jenny and Carol at Fuggles Gallery have found a space for some of my glass. Based in the most beautiful spot (must be a real trial to work there!) at Mangerton Mill just outside Bridport in Dorset this is a lovely gallery so I really think you should all pop in for a visit.

http://www.fugglesartgallery.co.uk/

The location on a sunny day is idyllic though I have it on good authority that it's a little chilly in winter - the Mangerton Water Mill is truly beautiful and the sandwiches at the cafe are very tasty - the fish in the mill pond kept the three terrors quiet for quite a while and I am still amazed that they managed to fool Jenny and Carol for such a long period of time with almost angelic behaviour!

Amongst the summer holiday chaos and the chilli and plum jam making fest (not something to have for breakfast!) I'm feeling a rather desperate need to melt something beautiful! What with all of that and an interesting project with something fishy in the pipeline and several soggy camping trips planned I have a feeling time may run out before the start of term...

Sunny Day...

Kate Osman Glass at the art@Eype3 Exhibition

After a fantastic weekend showing my work to the world (well a very small part of the world) at the art@Eype3 Exhibition I am pleased to say that we have spent a very productive day gathering more of the ever illusive sea glass!

Team Osman - today made up of Morgan, Taylor, Daisy, Granny, Ian, myself and of course Pickle the geomut (but that's a whole different story) had a fabulous day enjoying the sunshine and a monster walk for little legs from Durdle Door to Lulworth.

I have to admit to more than a little irritation that our coastline is yet again under seige... yes I know it's sunny, it's beautiful and we love it but do we really have to share it with the rest of the world... all at the same time?!

Durdle Door - Under Seige...

Even though the summer holidays are now officially here we had the most fantastic sunny day - gotta love those intense shades of blue and green, nature does it best at the seaside in my opinion.

I am looking forward to spending Monday making and melting... watch this space.

A quick intro... I promise!

I am a glass artist, I love what I do and you have no idea how good it feels to say that!
I am passionate about working with glass - on reflection, I'm fairly sure that the slight element of danger has something to do with this!


I work mostly with reclaimed glass, broken greenhouse glass, glass from picture frames and indeed pretty much any odd bits of glass I can recycle! My favourite finds are the fabulous gems of colour that you spot amongst the sand and pebbles at the seaside - the irresistible gleam and sparkle of Sea Glass!


I hope in this blog to keep you updated with my latest creations, trips to the sea and fabulous seaside finds.


First hand you will see the pieces evolve from discarded junk to things of beauty and purpose once more.


I hope you enjoy the trip... I do!