I was really chuffed earlier this year to welcome photographer Julian Calder to the factory. It was one of those very hot days we had over the summer – and it was lovely to take a break from making to celebrate my art with him. The colourful portraits he took that day were taken within the environment in which I create my glasswork.

“A Celebration of British Craftsmanship” is a book that Julian has been working on with writer Karen Bennett. It shows some of the most exciting craftsmen of The Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust, telling their stories in striking images and words. The pages give a glimpse into their creative lives.

The foreword is by QEST’s Patron HRH The Prince of Wales. http://www.impress-publishing.com/qest.html

The Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust was set up in 1990 to sustain Britain’s cultural Heritage by supporting excellence in British craftsmanship.

The illustrious and weighty coffee table book was launched on October 29th at Saddlers Hall in the City of London. A lengthy snapshot of the publication was shown in The Daily Mail on 13th October alongside an interview with Lord Snowden, the Trust’s Vice Patron.

Dedicated QEST scholars work very hard throughout their careers to progress their own skills, their businesses, and their mediums. It is wonderful that Julian and Karen have created such a well-documented moment in time within the development of some important British designers and craftspeople.

It is hoped that the book will provide much needed encouragement and funding to yet more QEST scholars going into the future.

You can buy the book here: http://www.qest.org.uk/shop