Well-known author, broadcaster and Antiques Roadshow expert Mark Hill gave a fascinating lecture on pioneering glassmaker Michael Harris (1933–1994).

Before the 1960s, glassmaking and glass design were separate professions. Glass was produced only in large factories, and there was no formal training for artists. But Harris, a Royal College of Art graduate, helped change that. Fascinated by the material, he began by designing cold-worked glass before travelling to Yugoslavia in the early ’60s to learn glassblowing firsthand.

The invention of the small studio furnace was a game-changer, and in 1968 Harris left his teaching job at the RCA to set up Mdina Glass in Malta. His work was sculptural, colourful and chemically innovative — using silver chloride to create richly textured hues. Sold as high-end gifts and art pieces, his designs gained international popularity.

After political pressure forced him to leave Malta in 1971, Harris founded Isle of Wight Studio Glass and trained a new generation of glassblowers. His iconic “Seaward” and “Azurene” ranges reflected fashion and luxury, incorporating gold and silver tones. He later expanded into nature-inspired ranges like “Meadow”, “Iridaceae” and “Kyoto”, making studio glass more accessible.

His legacy lives on through his sons Timothy and Jonathan, who continue the craft. Harris also supported other artists in launching their own studios and, in 1989, returned to the Mediterranean to open another workshop in Gozo.

Mark Hill’s lecture gave a real sense of Harris’s pioneering spirit and how he helped establish glassblowing as an accepted art form.

The next lecture Arts Society lecture will be The Art and Craft of the Pewterer by Andrew Spira, on Thursday, September 4 at 2pm in Grayshott Village Hall. Visitors welcome (£7 refundable on joining). Refreshments available.

More info: www.theartssocietygrayshott.org or call Niamh on 07984 379925.

Liz Beecheno