Stained Glass Workshop with Ruth Kersley

Be inspired by the work of stained-glass artist Ruth Kersley and discover the fascinating world of stained glass in this special creative workshop.

Suitable for ages 16+

With a background in sculpture and a career spanning fine art, teaching and stained glass, Ruth has worked on numerous public and private commissions, including a piece held in the V&A’s Sacred Silver and Stained-Glass gallery. Sculpture continues to influence her approach to working with glass, creating bold, expressive pieces with a strong sense of form.

Her current body of work was inspired by The Last Miners, a BBC documentary following North Yorkshire miners during their final shifts at Kellingley Colliery in 2015. Moved by the miners’ camaraderie, humour and resilience, she began a series of sketches which grew into a ten-year project exploring the lives and experiences of the men. The resulting work includes drawings, etchings, woodcuts, 3D models and stained-glass panels, created as a lasting tribute to the miners and their communities.

In this practical workshop, you’ll be introduced to the fundamentals of stained glass and learn how to create your own glass collage, known as appliqué. You’ll learn how to safely cut and shape coloured glass before arranging your pieces to create a design inspired by the appearance of a traditional leaded stained-glass panel.

Rather than using traditional lead, your cut pieces of glass will be fixed onto a base glass using a clear adhesive. Once the adhesive has dried, you’ll learn how to apply putty to complete your piece and give it the look and character of a traditional stained-glass panel.

No previous experience is necessary. Come along, get creative and discover the possibilities of working with glass while learning from an experienced stained-glass artist.

(All art materials are included in the workshop price)