A former student from Plymouth College of Art is creating a first-glass career after being taken on by Teign Valley Glass, the renowned Devon-based business.
Charlotte Sturlock from Saltash originally completed an extended diploma in art and design at the college, but then decided to take some time out and study holistic therapies.
But she then decided to continue her creative studies and went on to graduate from the BA (Cons) craft and material practices degree course.
Charlotte said:
“I knew I was ready to challenge myself by studying at degree level and made a last-minute decision to attend an open day. Having studied at the college before, I was familiar with the staff, but the craft, material and fabrication labs were definitely new to me!
“The facilities are fantastic and were probably the primary reason for choosing Plymouth College of Art, as well as the opportunity to develop specialist skills. Everything that I wanted was right there, so I went for it!
“Having tutors and technicians who are also makers really makes a difference. The live brief opportunities we were given for projects were so beneficial to my creative practice. They really prepared me for industry or setting up my own business. The support and guidance of the tutors and technicians has been invaluable. The course was a mix of practical and written modules, incorporating research into both.
“All of these aspects have left me with the required knowledge to set up my own business in the future and apply for grants and loans, which are often needed when working in the creative industry as a self-employed maker.”
She went on to develop her hand-blown glass skills in her own studio in Saltash and her
talents were soon recognised by Teign Valley Glass, which is based in Bovey Tracey. The company supplies galleries in the UK as well as American companies and sells studio glasswork and giftware at the studio.
She added:
“My role is split between glassworks assistant and retail assistant; this means some days I’m in the shop and some days I’m making in the
studio.
“As a glass making assistant, I help to make the glass for trade and the shop, gathering glass, applying colour and assisting the other makers. Some days I make
my own pieces for the shops and others I work as a part of a team.
“Being in the hot shop is fast paced and challenging, as we can make four or five different product lines in a day. As a production glass studio, we have large orders, which means meeting a high volume of demand. Timing and clear communication is critical when in production glass making as it’s so fast. There’s always something to do!”
