Coldstream-based glass artist Julia Linstead creates unique hand-blown lead crystal bowls decorated with original designs drawn from nature. Having gained a Glass and Ceramics degree at Sunderland Polytechnic, she moved to a gallery workshop at the Hirsel Country Estate near Coldstream, just inside the border with England, where she continues to work in the beautiful country park setting, enjoying the interaction and inspiration of visiting and artists and makers. Her work has been exhibited in Europe, Japan and North America.

Literally drawing inspiration from the natural world, from atoms to solar systems and all in between, she sketches and develops her designs painstakingly over months and sometimes years, considering how natural forms are to lie, viewed on the curved surfaces of her bowls. She says, ‘Some patterns come to me in a flash almost pot-ready. They only need a little tweaking in the design and then hours of practice sketching the subject so I can easily and smoothly “draw” the design with my scalpel.’

Julia has collaborated with leading studio glass-maker Jane Charles for over 30 years: all the pieces are hand-blown in 24%-lead crystal glass, with Julia sandblasting her unique designs into the surface at Jane’s studio in the historic glassblowing district of Lemington in Newcastle upon Tyne, where she adds thin layers of colour, adding powdered colour or manipulating the glass to produce ribbons of colour, folds, bubbles or ripples, incorporated into the surface to produce ‘cased’ glass.

A collection of Julia’s glass is available for immediate sale from the gallery in her glass workshop, and her website has all the details and pricing for ordering online.