SEAHORSE STUDIO In the picturesque town of Holt, artisanal jeweller Helen Wright practices an ancient craft. In her brick and flint studio you’ll find her working glass using an ancient lampworking technique that produces one-of-a-kind glass beads, pendants and earrings. At Seahorse Studio you can buy individual beads and hand-made jewellery and Helen also takes commissions for pieces in any shade or colour scheme you desire.
In lampworking, beads are made by melting glass rods in the torch flame, which reaches about 1000 degrees centigrade, and winding the hot glass round a metal rod called a mandrel. It’s a different technique to blowing glass, but just as old. After being formed, shaped and decorated in the flame, the beads are annealed in a digitally controlled kiln so they cool down at the correct rate to make them robust. They are then used to make unique pieces of jewellery. No two beads are alike – that’s the beauty of hand-made work.
so I asked her if she would like to have some in my studio. After that, it grew organically – local artists called in and we got talking".
Since it opened in 2014 Seahorse Studio has now morphed into a showcase for many local artists. "I intended the building to just house my workshop, as I didn't have room at home. But I happen to live next door to another glass artist, Hazel Millington, whose colourful fused glass is well established in North Norfolk,
Unique to Seahorse Studio are the exquisite glass seahorses and handpainted glass pieces by Sue Jenkinson. "Sue came into the shop one day and remarked that she loved seahorses and used to make glass ones. When I asked why she had stopped, she said, 'what would I do with them?' The rest is history."
Helen is now delighted to have a fantastic selection of local work including ceramics by Jane Bygrave, copper foil work (stained glass) by Suzanne Phillips, hand painted silks by Mims Grogan, mosaics by Ruby Button, cards by local photograher Jo Latham and local artist Mary Newton, and wood turning by Chris Robson.
SEAHORSE STUDIO 1 Albert Street, Holt, Norfolk, NR25 6HX 01263 478020 / 07801 225 757 seahorsestudio@icloud.com seahorsestudio.co.uk @seahorsestudioholt THE BEST OF NORFOLK __ 55 Design studio by appointment: 1 Church Farm Barns, Heydon, Norfolk, NR11 6AD