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News You can view all the latest Glasstorm news and press coverage below. Janet Sheed Roberts Reserve Whisky Bottle 01 February 2012 Glasstorm had the pleasure of again working with William Grant and Sons Ltd to produce a very special bottle of whisky to honour a very special lady. The Glenfiddich Janet Sheed Roberts Reserve – one of the rarest single malt Scotch whiskies ever distilled at the Dufftown distillery was created to celebrate her 110^th birthday. Mrs Roberts is William Grant’s granddaughter and also the oldest living person in Scotland. Each of the beautiful hand blown bottles has 24ct Gold adorning its neck and front. The stopper which consists of an aquamarine Cloisonné medallion monogrammed in gold with Mrs Roberts initials was made by Thomas Fattorini’s. There are only 15 of these bottles in the world. 11 bottles, one for every decade of Mrs Roberts life, are to be auctioned off with the remaining 4 staying in the family. The first auction took place at Bonham’s in Edinburgh on 14^th December and became a world record breaker. Estimated to reach £30,000 the bottle actually sold for £46,850, the highest price a bottle of whisky has ever made at auction. All of the proceeds from the auction are going to WaterAid, a charity especially chosen by Glenfiddich. We at Glasstorm are proud to have been part of the process that helped raise such a large amount of money for such a worthy charity. Win a Whisper Vase with Ross-shire Journal this week. 03 October 2011 The new set of Loose Women also has Carol Vorderman as the new host. So far our vases have appeared behind guests such as Pamela Anderson, Kerry Katona, John Barrowman and Joan Collins. This will make three major TV shows that our work have appeared in, Celebrity Scissor Hands and Big Brother being the other two. Brodie Nairn and Nichola Burns have established Glasstorm as a hot glass studio and company that produces exquisite bespoke and unique pieces that are showcased in museums and galleries around the world. Glasstorm’s own gallery displays the work of both Artists and their collaborative collection. The couple have over 40 years’ experience in glass design and making between them and have lived and worked in many countries to perfect their techniques and knowledge of glass. In recent years Glasstorm has collaborated with designers on a number of high profile media projects, one of these designers being Markus Blee which they have held a long working relationship with over many years. The Whisper vases and Speech Bubbles that appear on ITV’s daytime programme Loose Women is one such collaboration between Blee and Glasstorm. These stunning vases are produced individually with many hours of work going into them and they would sit comfortably in both a gallery and a home. Each limited edition vase in this collection is priced at £500. For a chance to win one of these vases purchase tell us how many vases you can see on the new set of Loose Women? Send your answer to: Glasstorm Whisper Vase Competition, C/O Editorial Department, Ross-shire Journal, Docharty Road, Dingwall IV15 9UG http://www.ross-shirejournal.co.uk/Home/RJ-Only-in-this-weeks-Journal.htm Our vases on Loose Women's new set. 06 September 2011 Glasstorm is delighted to announce that it has been involve once again with Markus Blee and his creative team this time with the New look of ITV hit show LOOSE WOMEN. Markus approached Glasstorm last month about producing some glass products for the shows brand new set . Dotted around the set are beatutiful large whisper vases these can be seen behind the new anchor Carol Vorderman and her guests. Following the theme of loose lips and hot gossip are giant glass blown speech bubbles hanging in the air above the invited guests . Pink fushia feathery stripes are seen in the glasswork and give the work a scene of movement a little like whispers on the wind. Talent Spotlight in Homes & Interior Scotland October 2011 02 September 2011 Talent Spotlight Describe your work… My work is inspired by many things in the natural world - the beautiful lines of the human body, the intriguing structures of a seed casing, pebbles or rocks worn away by the sands of time, sunlight bouncing of the cracks of a frozen loch. I am also fascinated by light. It plays such an important role in the work. Glass eats light and yet also empowers light. It can be dark and mysterious or colourful and radiant, hard and sharp but also soft and smooth, cold and rough or hot and slippery, and after many years it still enchants me. I begin by blowing sensual ‘pod like forms’ that explore tension and balance. I then cut through the glass to reveal its inner space. This dissected work creates a window into another world where dancing curves and open spaces contrast and unite. I then mark the outside of the glass in a variety of ways so as to create different surface textures. Over the next five years I have plans to launch new designer works in one off bespoke Jewellery. My designs are… Whether I design something as a functional object or a piece of art, I always make sure it is something I’d be happy to have in my own home. My biggest influence is… Three Women: my mother – she gave me my self-belief; my fiancé - she is my partner in life and business , a beautiful and amazing woman and my best friend , and my 15 month old daughter whose great spirit of adventure in everything that she does . I wish I had designed… The Aalto vase. It’s by the legendary Finnish Designer Alvar Aalto and was launched at the1937 World fair in Paris. We pay homage to the spirit of this vase in our Glasstorm Wavy vase available at our on line shop. If I could exhibit anywhere in the world it would be… It would be very cool to exhibit at MoMa in New York Favourite building… I have two favourite buildings at the moment: Frank Gehry's Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao and the National Aquatics Centre in Beijing , aka the Water Cube. Both challenge the way we think about what a building should look like and both employ light and space in a magical way. Glass is… Is hot ,smooth ,sharp ,rough ,cold ,fragile ,hard ,liquid ,sexy. It is everywhere ,but I have chosen to work with it because it is beautiful ,complex, pure and an enchanting material which plays with light and I never get bored with it. Glasstorm's TV career continues 25 August 2011 Our TV career is going strong as our Droplet vases appear on Super Nanny Jo Frost's new Channel 4 program 'Extreme Parental Guidance.' Droplet vases adorn her living room set on her roadshow journey through the country. “Professor David Godden named winner of the first ever Centre for Health Science Award” 18 November 2010 The Centre for Health Science Company are delighted to announce Professor David Godden as the winner of their first ever Centre for Health Science Award. As Co-Director of the Centre for Rural Health and until recently Research and Development Director for NHS Highland, Professor Godden was recognised for the significant contribution he has made to the health science sector in the Highlands and Islands. Professor Godden received the coveted Centre for Health Science Award, specially designed by Glasstorm based in Tain, and £350 prize money. The winner was announced at the Centre for Health Science Annual Lecture held on Thursday 18th November and was presented by Garry Coutts, Chair of NHS Highland and recently appointed Rector of the prospective University of the Highlands & Islands. Prior to presenting the award Garry Coutts delivered a compelling lecture providing a visionary perspective on the ‘Future of Healthcare in the Highlands and Islands.’ The event was chaired by Ken Proctor, Associate Medical Director. A personal address by video was made by Nicola Sturgeon, MSP, Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing. Ms Sturgeon outlined the Government’s continued commitment to the health sciences sector and emphasised collaboration as being key in moving the sector forward particularly in the current economic climate. Alex Paterson, Chief Executive of Highlands and Islands Enterprise, provided an overview of the life sciences sector in the region. The full lecture will soon be available to watch on the Centre for Health Science website. View External Site >>> Time trial success leads to 2010 event 14 October 2010 Fort William could host a Scottish championship cycling event next year in memory of cycling legend Jason MacIntyre. After hosting a successful memorial time trials event on Saturday, organisers Nevis Cycles and West Highland Wheelers, plan to attract the event to Lochaber in 2010. That would have been the year that Jason MacIntrye would have represented Scotland at the Commonwealth games in Delhi, India, and his widow, Caroline, said that she thought it fitting that the championships should come to Lochaber next year. Caroline MacIntyre said: ‘It goes to different places each year and it is quite a battle to get it. ‘We would get 120-130 riders, so it’s a big event.’ Caroline also praised the riders who had competed in the memorial time trials event, saying it showed just how highly thought of Jason was in British Cycling. More than 80 riders took part with Jim Cusack of Glasgow Couriers winning the event overall. ‘It was brilliant’, said Caroline ‘and a fantastic turnout.’ ‘I don’t cycle myself but the people in cycling have taken me under their wing.’ View External Site >>> £10,000 dram unveiled 14 October 2010 A Tain studio which has brought a touch of class into this year’s Big Brother house has now completed a prestigious order for bottles containing 50-year-old whisky selling for £10,000 each. Glasstorm in Tain recently spent two months working in secret to create hand-crafted teardrop vases for the most watched house in Britain. This week details were revealed about its latest contract. A four-strong team of craftsmen at the studio supplied 50 bespoke bottles to William Grant and Sons Ltd for its Glenfiddich 50 Years Old Whisky, which sold to collectors around the world for £10,000 a bottle. Glasstorm will supply 50 more bottles every year for the next eight years, until all 450 Glenfiddich 50 Year Old bottles have been released. The impressive price tag for the whisky did not deter Michael Maskell, a collector of Glasstorm work, from securing one of the prestigious bottles. This week he returned to the studio to show the final product to the Tain glass artists. “It took us two months to complete the order. Each bottle took days to create. Other parts of the presentation were provided to a similarly high standard so we were very keen to see the finished project.” said Brodie Nairn of Glasstorm. “It is much more than a bottle of rare whisky, every aspect of it is an expression of excellence and it’s a source of considerable pride for our team to have won the commission to produce these bottles.” Glasstorm Studio Limited was set up by art school graduates Brodie Nairn and Nicky Burns five years ago and produces a range of glass products for local and national markets. Ambitions to win bigger; higher value contracts have enabled the small business to gain advice and specialist support through Highlands and Islands Enterprise. Emma scoops Big Bro Prize 17 September 2010 ‘A DELIGHTED Ross-Shire journal reader didn’t have too far to travel to collect the unique and hugely collectable prize she scooped by entering one of our exclusive competitions. Emma Deeth’s entry for our Big Brother vase competition- run in conjunction with Tain’s Glasstorm Studio which was commissioned to make the distinctive one-off pieces – was first out the hat when the draw was made last week. The draw coincided with the final episode of the last ever edition of the reality TV programme and was greeted with delight by Emma, a huge fan of both Big Brother and Glasstorm. Emma, who lives in the towns Knockbreck Road, admitted she’d been hooked on the series since it was launched more than a decade ago – and revealed she is a great admirer of the work of Glasstorm, whose co-founder Brodie Nairn took time out this week to hand over her prize. The specially created vases featured on the set of Britain’s most notorious house, providing a priceless boost for the Tain Studio, which has won a string of high-profile commissions. Emma teaches at Hiton of Cadboll Primary on a part-time basis. She said, “I’m a big fan. I’ve watched every series right from the start. I love what they do at Glasstorm so it was that connection which appealed to me”. ‘ CHANNEL4 BIG BROTHER GLASSTORM's Hanging Droplets 14 June 2010 Designers put their mark on Big Brother house By Marjo Hallowell Press & Journal / Published: 11/06/2010 THE final series of Big Brother has a special interest for two Highland artists – they have made some of the pieces on display in the house. Viewers tuning in to the Channel 4 reality show can see glass works by Brodie Nairn and Nichola Burns.They were specially commissioned for the programme from the duo’s Glasstorm Studio at Tain and include hanging “teardrops” which have been filled with flowers. The couple met at Gray’s School of Art in Aberdeen and set up their business in the north five years ago after working in Europe. Mr Nairn said they had watched Big Brother and saw some of their works in the dining room with orchids in them.He said: “We are flattered to have been asked to contribute to the final series. “Millions of people will see our work every night. With the glass walls within the house our pieces will be able to be seen from a number of vantage points. “I felt like a proud dad when I saw them on screen and they were lit to look like they were green when they are actually clear glass.” Works from Glasstorm have previously been used on the set of Celebrity Scissorhands and Mr Nairn was contacted two months ago and asked to provide pieces for the Big Brother set. Read more: http://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/Article.aspx/1778589#ixzz0qpFqiKgn BRODIE IN THE BRIG BRO SPOTLIGHT 27 August 2010 The Easter Ross creator of a vase money can’t buy is set to give it away to a journal reader as the reality TV programme which has showcased his art to millions, reaches a climax. The team at Glasstorm in Tain was sworn to secrecy by producers of Channel 4’s Big Brother series after securing an order to produce hand-crafted glass vases to decorate the interior of perhaps the most famous house in the country. As reported by the journal back in June, Glasstorm Partners Brodie Nair and Nichola Burns were commissioned to send these vases in batches to the set of the show, now in its last ever series. For the duo, who worked on the project for two solid months, it was the latest in a series of high profile coups which helped expose their work to millions. Some of its creations were also used predominantly on the set of BBC TV’s Celebrity Scissorhands. This week, Brodie told the journal how he had discovered a single vase was left over from the original hush-hush order and has decided to give it away to a local reader of the journal. He joked,’ I keep getting stopped in the street by people asking me about big brother. Have to tell them that I don’t have any more idea about the show than they do. People seem to think that I’m going to be some sort of expert!’ Popular contestant Josie Gibson this week won the final series of big brother – and will now begin a new competition against a host of famous former contestants, dubbed Ultimate Big Brother. Said Brodie, ‘to be honest I am not a regular viewer, though I have been known to channel surf across to take a look – to the chagrin of my partner! We’re delighted with the exposure this has given us and are now working on another exciting project which I can’t say anything about yet’. GLASSTORM's HANGING DROPLETS in Channel4's BIG BROTHER 2010 14 June 2010 The living area has glass rain drops hanging from the ceiling filled behind panels of glass are filled with with flowers and stuffed tiny birds. Commissioning Editor of Big Brother David Williams said: “One of our ambitions was to make it beautiful to look at and nice to live in this year. Tain adds touch of glass to Big Brother set 10 June 2010 Ross-shire Journal Published 10th June 2010 A TOUCH of Tain caught a little glint of the TV limelight this week as extrovert wannabes trooped into the Big Brother house. The brightly coloured glass vases suspended in the main area of the most watched house in the UK were crafted in secret in the town over the last two months. Brodie Nairn and Nichola Burns at Glasstorm in the town’s Chapel Street created the hand-crafted teardrop adornments hanging around the sitting area as each housemate walked into their temporary new home. Glasstorm, which is working on a number of hush-hush high-profile projects, clinched the latest show biz contract after previously working with an interior designer who helped to give the BB house its distinctive look. They made contact with her when they made items for Celebrity Scissorhands, a BBC reality show in aid of Children in Need. Over the last few months, the Tain studio has produced the vases and sent them down in batches to the TV set. It was such a secretive project that even their creator, Brodie, did not know how they were going to be used. He was amongst millions of viewers glued to the screen on Wednesday night as Davina McColl introduced the nation to the new BB den. He told the Journal the daily show would give the glassware "fantastic exposure"."We are very excited about this, we worked on this every day for about two months and to get this kind of visibility, is brilliant," he said. "We are delighted to be part of a nationwide TV show, which in some small part will have a little bit of Tain." The GLASS Quarterly - 18th July 2009 04 September 2009 EXHIBITION TAKES A CLOSER LOOK AT SCOTTISH DIVERSITY, IDENTITY Exhibition takes a closer look at Scottish diversity, identity Inhabitants of the Scottish Highlands know a thing or two about migration. The turbulent history of the region is fraught with movement, as periods of cultural strife and economic upheaval sparked mass migrations, leaving the mountainous regions the most sparsely populated in the country. It is fitting, then, that the Scottish Glass Society’s retrospective exhibition of glass art will be a touring exhibition, kicking off in Inverness on July 4, 2009. Entitled “Migrate: 30 Years of Scottish Glass,” the show seeks to capture the region’s history and diversity through glass sculptures, stained glass, engravings, and castings, which examine how Scottish artists capture a sense of place and identity in their work. The exhibition features a medley of 30 artists at all stages of their careers, from recent graduates of the Edinburgh College of Art to established artists. Among the artists with work in the exhibition: Alec Galloway, Max Jacquard, Alison Kinnaird, Nichola Burns, and Carrie Fertig. It is appropriate that many of these artists are themselves former migrants, drawn to Scotland from Japan, England, the United States and elsewhere to hone their craft. Works on display are an eclectic mix, with pieces that have been cast, fused, blown, engraved, stained, and painted. The show is presented by the not-for-profit Scottish Glass Society, which will celebrate this summer the 30th year since its conception in 1979. The touring exhibition kicks off at the Inverness Museum & Art Galleries on July 4, and will continue on through the final showing at the West Midlands’ Broadfield House Glass Museum in March 2010. A series of talks and workshops will complement the exhibition, offering a detailed look at contemporary Scottish glassmaking—where it’s going, and, perhaps more importantly, where it came from. - Brett Nuckles / The GLASS Quarterly View External Site >>> 05 February 2012 ~ View Stories more than 900 days old.
GLASSTORM Contemporary Glass Studio & Gallery, 2 Chapel Street, Tain, Ross-Shire, Scotland, IV19 1EL Tel: +44(0)1862 893 189 email: info@glasstorm.com © GLASSTORM 2012 Website creation: Plexus Media