space
Jo at her Cornish HQ
PHOTO: MIKE EVANS
Working with cut and crushed glass
PHOTO: MIKE EVANS
jodowns.com
PHOTO: PETER SEARLE
Since establishing her first studio in London’s Muswell Hill 20 years ago, Jo’s artistry and eye for style has built her highly regarded reputation in the field. In 2001 she moved to Cornwall on a whim to set up Jo Downs Handmade Glass and opened her first gallery in Padstow in 2005. As well as Padstow, she now has galleries in Launceston, Fowey and St Ives, and most recently, given the popularity of her work to Londoners visiting Cornwall, in the village of Ripley in Surrey. “I am very proud of the life I’ve created, but I’ve got to where I am today not through ambition, but through dedication and an absolute passion for what I do. Wherever I go and whatever I see, I am drawn to details that I think would look beautiful in glass. If I could show you the view outside my window you would see exactly where I take my inspiration from. My house looks out over the Atlantic in North Cornwall and the area has a stunning, rugged coastline. The light is incredible and there are so many colours and textures in the sea and sand, the waves and rock formations.” Jo goes on to explain that the initial design process is all about experimentation in the kiln, although she sometimes makes sketches to frame an idea. Fusing is a highly technical process, but begins with a simple hand-held glass-cutter with a diamond wheel. When the initial shapes are cut, she creates detail using cut glass, crushed glass, enamels and semi-precious metals. It is both a creative and a scientific process – but there is a significant element of chance involved as well. “I work with a broad palette of enamels but each reacts differently according to what colour or material they are placed next to. Metal reactions change depending on how they are layered together and I get air bubbles and areas of texture within each piece that I could never have anticipated. An enamel powder may start out grey in colour but once exposed to the heat of the kiln may turn to a beautiful turquoise. Deep browns can turn to vibrant reds, or put two different chemical powders together and something completely unexpected will happen. The excitement of the fusing process is that I don’t have a lot of control over it. I have a certain amount of skill and knowledge but at the end of the day each element combines to cause unique results. That’s really the beauty of working with fused glass.” Jo’s unique and highly stylised approach to this art form has attracted commissions for both private homes and public buildings. The commission work she combines with the creation of new annual ranges for her galleries, which in turn inspire further commissions. With her career now approaching its 20th year, there are plans for a string of celebratory events and limited-edition pieces in 2016 and, through the new Ripley gallery, she hopes to continue to be an ambassador for Cornwall’s outstanding creative economy.
Classic Beach panels installation
MANOR | Late Summer 2015
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