Sea Glass: Tumbled shards from the past
Creating new from old
Have you heard the word Thalassophile? I came across it recently. It means someone who loves the ocean and finds thrill, calm and peace being close to the sea. That’s me I thought. I am one of those!
Of course I love plants and trees and meadows but it is only when I am close to the sea that I feel truly at home. Which is why you will find me walking the dogs most mornings on a beach close to Edinburgh. It’s where I think and plan. It is also where I find treasure.
Waves Of Green & Blue
Edinburgh’s coastline was once peppered with glass and pottery works. This historic industry may have dwindled but a legacy of smashed cast-offs remains. Every day, these industrial jewels, beautifully weathered, are spat out by the waves and on to the shore. The fragments - clear, blue, grey, green and turquoise - lie waiting to be spied. I gather two or more pieces on each walk and like a smug magpie, return to my nest to sort my finds. When the time is right, I create pictures with these pieces of history. I love their small weight and the imagined stories that cling to their smoothed edges as they become part of a new whole. It is a very satisfying creative process.
A Delicate Art
My collected glass and pottery is robust. I can’t shatter its beauty. But as an interior designer, I am often drawn to light-refracting works created by talented artists. A dark space can instantly shine thanks to a well-chosen vase, jug or lamp. I regularly seek pieces that inject colour, movement and joy. Which is why I was drawn to the stunning lanterns and sculptures created by Glasgow-based artist Andrew Miller.
Unlike sea glass, Andrew’s creations are most definitely delicate and of great value. His glass works involve intricate engineering and layering. They are visual love poems to the wonder of glass and are astonishing.
For contemporary glass tableware, I turn to the brilliant Annica Sandström and David Kaplan at Lindean Mill Glass near Galashiels in the Scottish Borders. Their collections of hand-blown carafes, tumblers and tableware are created in a range of jem-coloured and opaque finishes that reflect a love of the natural world. And if you are looking for a very special gift, then a piece of Lindean Mill Glass will not disappoint.
Seek & You Will find
In between the sea and talented artists, I regularly turn to another source of glass and pottery. Vintage shops are brilliant. I am always on the look-out and again, if I am lucky, I find treasure.
I love visiting The Vault of Curiosities in Jedburgh and Duncan & Reid, close to Edinburgh’s Botanic Gardens. These are where I source some of my favourite pieces and a find does not need to be expensive to bring joy. So the next time you visit a beach or are close to a store specialising in antiques, second hand or vintage items, take a little time out. Look closely and you may well find a little piece of brightly coloured past to light up your now.
