Welcome to the launch issue of our new, independent magazine Mosaic & Glass. With the United Nations proclaiming 2022 as the International Year of Glass, there couldn’t be better time to embark on this exciting journey!
Our mission is to entertain, educate and inspire you by producing excellent editorial. The focus of our writing is on people – the artists, their inspirations and the stories behind their art.
Published in Scotland, the magazine contains stories from the UK and across the world in our international community. Every issue will contain interviews, features, columns, technical and business tips, and a competition. The magazine also has a business angle, supporting professional artists along with hobbyists who might be considering a side hustle or a transition into a full-time art career.
There are so many synergies across mosaic and glass art, and many artists combine elements both into their practice – or move from one area into the other. And many of the artists you’ll read about in the coming pages recognise the importance of considering alternatives art forms to aid inspiration.
We’ve had a brilliant team of contributors writing for you in Issue 1, from our professional writers and journalists (pictured) to mosaic and glass artists across the world – thank you all so much. Thanks too to our brilliant designers Duncan Macnaughtan and Rob Manning. Thank you also to Nicky Tudor for helping me with the proofreading and to my daughter LexieTorrance for her help with the accounts.
Pictured: Rhona Duffy, Christina Elia, Rebecca Ann Hughes, Matt Hanson, Ursula May, Helen Miles, Angela Neustatter, Catherine Rose and Angela Youngman; the Glass Society of Ireland’s new climate challenge to artists; and a section for the Afghan scarf created by Italian artist Elena Prosperi (@bottega_di_mosaico).
If you’d like to write for Issue 2 of Mosaic & Glass, please email me at rhonaduffy@mosaicandglass.com by the end of February with your ideas. The theme will be exterior mosaic and glass art – I’m excited already!
Before I go, the organisers of these two initiatives asked me to share them with you. The Hanging by a Thread Project organised by Bady Essid Jaballa invites artists to create a textile-inspired mosaic that will form part of a huge scarf, to raise awareness of the plight of Afghan women and girls. And the Glass Society of Ireland has just launched a challenge for artists to work towards being more climate conscious in your art practices. They’ve asked artists to share how you’re changing your habits, materials or processes, or working towards lowering your carbon footprint in your glass practice.
Thank you to Layne Rowe for allowing us to use his beautiful art on our front cover and huge credit to Alick Cotterill for taking such an amazing photo!
Finally, a big thank you to all of our readers and advertisers – without you, we wouldn’t be here. And, most importantly, enjoy the read.
Rhona Duffy
Editor & publisher