A Brief History
Julia broke her kneecap during the foundation year of her degree, diverting her from a glittering career in ceramics (due to all the potters’ wheels being kick powered not electric) and into glass by the timely and fortuitous discovery of a book on kiln forming glass. After destroying all the kilns at her foundation college by melting glass into the heating coils, Julia was accepted onto the Glass and Ceramics degree course at Sunderland Polytechnic. When she had completed her degree, they mended all the kilns, changed the poly into a university, moved into the National Glass Centre and Sunderland became a city. Julia had nothing to do with any of this…. apart from getting the degree.
All that was last century anyway.
Julia moved to her gallery workshop at the Hirsel Country Estate last century too and has been happily blasting away in the Scottish Borders ever since. Surrounded by a beautiful country park and other artists there is always inspiration just outside her door.
Her glass is better travelled than Julia having been in exhibition in Europe, Japan and North America and she now has collectors across the globe.
The Glass Gallery
A changing collection of Julia’s glass is always available for immediate sale from the glass gallery within the glass workshop.
In addition to Julia’s sandblasted bowls, we sell a wide range of handmade crystal perfume bottles, vases, paper weights, jewellery, fused glass and leaded panels made by some of the best glass makers in the country.
We stock the handblown work of Jane Charles Studio Glass, Sanders and Wallace Glassmakers and Thomas Petit Glass. A small selection of their work is also available to buy through the online shop.
We have fused glass panels by Driftworks Tidal Art, Julia Davies exhibits her stained and leaded glass panels here and there is also a wide range of jewellery by Maggie Read Jewellery, Connell and Hart and Mere Glass.
Customers are welcome to visit in person or contact Julia to find out what is currently in stock.
If you are intending to make a special journey to see the Glass Gallery, we strongly advice you to contact us in advance, as the gallery and workshop are not open 7 days a week.
Set within the peaceful Hirsel Country Estate the Homestead has a play area, café and farm shop, and beautiful walks through woodland, along the river Till and through the grounds; a visit to the Glass Gallery could be part of an entire day or a welcome stop on a journey through the Scottish Borders.
The Hirsel Homestead is home to several other creative business’s including a potter and a stone carver.
