Jyoti Hawley

Jyoti Hawley of Crafty Glass Studio

Do you concentrate on one medium, or do you work in several?

 I fell in love with fused glass 8 years ago and instantly fell in love with it. There are so many different ways of working with and manipulating glass that I’m still working my way through. A kiln opening is always so exciting and there’s always so much more to learn that I don’t think I’ll ever get bored.

 Tell me about your workspace?

 I create and run workshops in my home studio which is a lovely bright and welcoming space. However, it is now becoming too small for my needs and I hope to move to a larger studio later in the year, fingers crossed!

 What inspires you?

Before I discovered my passion for fused glass, I was a keen gardener and still visit as many gardens as I can whenever I get the chance. This is my inspiration for most of my work but I also love to be by the sea so every so often I have to make some waves! This more sculptural work requires my complete attention and after it’s had its first, and hopefully successful firing it may need more work or layers and be fired for a second time. On completion of a design another firing may be needed to shape the work if necessary. It’s a slow process which cannot be rushed with each firing taking a day to complete. Understanding how and why the glass behaves the way it does in the kiln is vitally important when experimenting with new work if a disaster is to be avoided. But with every piece that cracks in the kiln comes an opportunity for learning and deepening your understanding of the medium. It’s always rewarding when a new complex piece survives the kiln firings but it’s even more rewarding hearing compliments from customers and being reminded that you made something that others can admire.

 Do you have a favourite piece in your Little Gallery exhibition?

I tend to enjoy the sculptural pieces more and if something has taken days to make and turns out well then it becomes my new favourite for a while. For this exhibition I’ve been exploring creating more sculptural flowers with multiple layers of glass and I hope to have a big piece finished in time. I always love making my fish pieces and waves so I’ll have a few of these making an appearance too.

 How did you start doing what you do?

My passion for glass started in a workshop 8 years ago and it grew from there. In lockdown I had to give up my tutoring job and I started pursuing my passion full time. I swapped my maths books for glass and have never looked back!

 If you have spare time, what do you do with it?

I’ve been an RHS and National Trust member for many years and visiting gardens is a bit of an obsession for me. My visits to these gardens and houses are a big source of inspiration for my work.  

What’s next for you?

This year I’m taking part in Derbyshire Open Arts for the first time which is very exciting. Later in the year a studio move and Christmas markets will be keeping me very busy.