Jessamy Kelly
I am a designer-maker; working mainly in the mediums of glass and ceramics.
In July 2006 I set up a creative venture called Juo Ltd with designer Joanne Mitchell. Juo produces contemporary fused glassware. Juo is a Design & Lifestyle brand aimed at the design-conscious consumer and is based at the National Glass Centre, Sunderland.
I also work as a freelance industrial glass designer; this collaboration with industry helps to inform my creative practice and influences my studio work.
In October 2004 I began my doctoral research into the combination of glass and ceramics in a hot state, within studio practice.
In 2002 I completed my Masters degree at Edinburgh College of Art in December 2002. This involved an Industrial placement at Edinburgh Crystal as a student glass designer, in collaboration with ECA, working towards a Masters Degree in ‘Glass Product Design’. This opportunity gave me the freedom to research and develop ideas within Edinburgh Crystal’s production facilities, allowing a creative and experimental approach within the reality of a commercial environment.
Date of Birth: 19.11.78
Associations: CGS,GAS,OTHER
Awards:
2001 Outline Student Glass Prize
2001 Edinburgh Crystal Masters Scholarship
2006 Princes Trust Start up Business Award
2006 Blueprint Business Planning Award for Creative Industries & Overall Winner 2006
2007 NESTA, Insight Out Business Award
Commissions: Blueprint Business Awards, Durham University 2006 & 2008
Mslexia Corporate Award, Mslexia, Newcastle 2006
Newcastle Building Society, Coastal-Glacial Wall Panels 2008
Sunderland City Council, Wearsied Migration Wall Panel 2008
Great North Run Awards, Nova International, 2007, 2008 & 2009
NE Exporters Awards,UKTI, 2007, 2008 & 2009
Tekla UK Model Awards, Tekla, 2007 & 2008
NOF Energy Awards, NOF, 2007 & 2008
Finance Tree Awards 2008
Education: •Newcastle College, Art Foundation in Ceramics BTEC (Distinction), 1997-1998
•University of Sunderland, BA (Hons) in ‘Glass and Ceramics’, 1998-2001
•Edinburgh College of Art, Master of Design in ‘Glass Product Design’, 2001-2002
•University of Sunderland PT PhD in ‘Glass and Ceramics’, 2004-2010
Group Exhibitions: 2009
• ‘Cohesion at Pyramid’, Pyramid Gallery, York, 03/09-04/09
• ‘Glance & Reflect’, Crafts Council @ the Washington Arts Centre, Washington 03/09-04/09
• ‘Melody’ Shoreditch Gallery, London, 03/09-05/09
• Zest Gallery at Sofa New York, US, 03/09
• Café Jello at Affordable Art Fair Battersea, 03/09
• ‘Artomatic’, Washington DC, US, 05/09-07/09
• ‘Blast!09’, Zest Gallery London 04/09-05/09
• ‘Migrate’, Scottish Glass Society, The Highland Galleries & Broadfield House, W.Midlands 07/09-03/10
• Newcastle Gateshead Arts Fair, The Sage, Gateshead, 10/09
2008
• ‘Glass 3’, International Glass Exhibition, Washington DC, US, 02/08-03/08
• Cohesion and Café Jello at Affordable Art Fair Battersea, London, 03/08
• ‘British Glassmakers’, Obsidian Art, Stoke Mandeville, 03/08–04/08
• ‘The Bag Show’, Designed & Made Gallery, Live Theatre Newcastle 04/08-05/08
• ‘Northern Glass’, Platform Gallery, Clitheroe, Lancashire 05/08–07/08
• ‘Blast! 2008’, Cohesion 6th Annual Exhibition, London Glass Blowing Gallery, London 05/08–06/08
• Scottish Glass Society 29th Exhibition, Peter Potter Gallery, Haddington, Edinburgh 07/08–08/08
• ‘Prospect’, Designed & Made Gallery, Newcastle 08/08-09/08
• Solo Showcase, Arts Council Head Offices, Newcastle 08/08-09/08
• Newcastle Gateshead Arts Fair, The Sage, Gateshead, 09/08
• ‘Perfume & Scent bottles’, St Jospeh Galerie, Leeuwarden, The Netherlands, 09/08-02/08
• ‘Beautifully Crafted’, National Glass Centre, Sunderland, 10/08-02/09
• ‘Flawed Inspiration’ DLI Museum, Durham, 11/08-01/09
• ‘Objects of Desire’, Chapel Gallery, Orsmkirk, Lancashire 11/08–01/09
• ‘Cohesion at Artworks’, The Artworks Galleries, Newcastle, 11/09-03/09
2007
• ‘Parallels & Connections’ Showcase, National Glass Centre, Sunderland 03/07
• Cohesion at Affordable Art Fair, Battersea, London, 03/07
• ‘Design Crafts for Contemporary Living’, Bilston Craft Gallery, Wolverhampton, 03/07-04/07
• Newcastle Gateshead Arts Fair, Newcastle, 05/07
• Crafts Council Solo Showcase, National Glass Centre, Sunderland 06/07-07/07
• Summer Fair, Excel London, 06/07
• Scottish Glass Society 28th Exhibition, Lillie Gallery, Milngavie, Glasgow 08/07-09/07
• ‘Cohesion at Pyramid’, Cohesion 5th Annual Exhibition Pyramid gallery, York 09/07-10/07
• ‘Delight in Design’, Designed & Made Annual Showcase, Live Theatre Newcastle 10/07-11/07
• Crafts Council ‘Solo Showcase’ Juo Ltd, National Glass Centre, Sunderland 11/07-02/07
• Christmas Showcase, Tallantyre Gallery, Morpeth, Northumberland, 11/07-01/07
• ‘Twelve’, Designed & Made Christmas Showcase, Live Theatre Newcastle 12/07-01/08
2006
• Glass installation Saltburn Artists Projects, Saltburn. 02/06-03/06
• Affordable Art Fair, Battersea, London. 03/06
• The Temple Gallery, Aberfeldy, Perthshire. 03/06-05/06
• Oriel Ty Gorsaf Glass Gallery, Ynys Mon, Wales. 03/06-07/06
• ‘Cohesion at Artifex’, Cohesion 4th Annual Exhibition Artifex Gallery, Birmingham, 06/06-07/06
• 'Launch 2006', NE Design Showcase, Fire Station, Newcastle Upon Tyne, 06/06
• Scottish Glass Society 27th Exhibition, Collins Gallery, Glasgow. 06/06-08/06
• Crafts Council ‘Solo Showcase’ Jessamy Kelly, National Glass Centre, Sunderland. 07/06-09/06
• ‘The Sea’, Scottish Potters Association, Carby Art Gallery, Aberdeen. 09/06-11/06
• International Glass Symposium 2006, Novy Bor, Czech Republic. 10/06
• ‘Evolve’, Designed & Made, Blackfriars, Newcastle. 10/06
• ‘Gifted’, Royal Museum, Edinburgh. 11/06-01/07
• ‘Winter Warmth’, The Park Gallery, Falkirk Museums, Falkirk. 11/06-01/07
• ‘New Glass’, The Arts & Crafts House, Cumbria. 11/06-01/07
2005
• ‘Glimmer’, Cohesion 3rd Annual Exhibition North Street Gallery, Leeds. 05/05 - 06/05
• ‘Glass in the Garden’ Waterperry Gardens, Oxford. 07/05 - 08/05
• ‘Fusion’ Scottish Glass Society 26th Exhibition Strathearn Gallery, Crieff. 07/05
• ‘Shaping Light 2’, Workplace Art, London, 09/05 - 10/05
• ‘On the Road’, Designed & Made, Mushroom Works, Newcastle Upon Tyne, 10/05
• ‘Winter Glass’, National Glass Centre, Sunderland. 11/05 - 02/06
• ‘Winter Collection’, FiFieFoFum Gallery, Corbridge, 11/05 - 02/06
• ‘Cohesion at Artifex’ Artifex Gallery, West Midlands, 11/05 - 02/06
2004
• ‘Ambiente’, Edinburgh Crystal, Frankfurt Messe, Germany. 02/04
• ‘One Year On’ New Designers 2004, Business Designer Centre, Islington. 07/04
• ‘Glass Al Fresco’, Cohesion Glass Network. 07/04 - 09/04
• ‘The Northern Perspective in Glass’, Scottish Glass Society 25th Exhibition. Edinburgh 10/04
• ‘White Christmas’, Bilston Craft Gallery, Wolverhampton. 11/04-01/05
• ‘Lustre’, Tullie House, Carlisle. 11/04 - 12/04
• ‘Blast! 2004’, Cohesion 2nd Annual Exhibition, The Cork Street Gallery, London. 11/04 - 12/04
2003
• ‘Sensation’, Solo Showcase. Heritage Centre, Edinburgh Crystal. 04/03
• ‘The Crystal world’, Edinburgh College of Art, Edinburgh. 05/03
• ‘Convergences/divergences’, Salle Attane, St Yrieix, France. 07/03
• ‘Cohesion 1st Annual Exhibition’, Mezzanine gallery, National Glass Centre, Sunderland. 07/03
• Scottish Glass Society 24th Annual Exhibition, Q2 Gallery, Dundee. 08/03
• Cohesion Christmas Exhibition, Gateshead Quays. 10/03
• ‘Winter Collection’, Cowdy Gallery, Newent. 11/03
• ‘Christmas Collection’ Scissors-Paper-Stone, Castle Eden, Durham. 11/03
2002
• ‘New Directions’, Shipley Art Gallery, Gateshead. 06/02
• ‘Diversity’, Cohesion Glass Cluster exhibition. National Glass Centre, Sunderland. 06/02
• ‘Bastille Day 2002’ North East Glass Artists, French Business Council, Eversheds, Newcastle. 07/02
• ‘3rd International Symposium of Engraved Glass’, Kamenicky Senov, Czech Republic. 09/02
• ‘Master of Design Degree Show 2002’, Sculpture Court, Edinburgh College of Art. 12/02
2001
• ‘Pure’, a showcase of students work at the Globe Gallery, North Shields. 05/01
• ‘Bachelor of Arts Degree Show 2001’, Vardy Gallery, University of Sunderland. 06/01
• ‘New Designers 2001’, Business Design Centre, Islington, London. 07/01
• ‘Pure as Porcelain’, Laburnum Ceramics Gallery, Penrith. 11/01
• ‘By Design’, Chelsea Gallery, London. 11/01
Solo Exhibitions: • Crafts Council Solo Showcase, National Glass Centre, Sunderland 06/07-07/07
• Crafts Council Solo Showcase, National Glass Centre, Sunderland. 07/06-09/06
• ‘Sensation’, Solo Showcase. Heritage Centre, Edinburgh Crystal. 04/03
Travel: Nationally, Yes Internationally, Yes
Press Quotes: Touch of glass for society offices - The Journal 05.07.08
These stunning new pieces of glasswork have just been installed at the recently opened
offices of the Newcastle Building Society.
Glass artists Jessamy Kelly and Joanne Mitchell were commissioned by the society to bring
artistic touches to the Cobalt Business Park building.
Their business Juo captured parts of the beach at Whitley Bay, before returning to their
studio at Sunderland’s National Glass Centre to hand-craft the finished wall mounted
panels.
The pieces are being displayed in an area occupied by Newcastle Strategic Solutions
Teams, which processes savings accounts for the UK brand Icesave on behalf of Icelandic
bank Landsbanki.
A range of work has been commissioned by the society, in conjunction with the Sponsors
Club for Arts & Business, to a selection of North East artists who are working on pieces for
different parts of the Cobalt building.
Jessamy Kelly said: “The designs come directly from nature inspired by the play of light
and shadow on a coastal landscape, subtly seen through the interplay of light and dark
shadows.”
Jessamy and business partner Joanne launched Juo in early 2006, after winning the
University of Sunderland’s Blueprint Business Planning Award.
Together they offer a varied selection of high-quality fused art glass products; including giftware, wall panels and sculpture for corporate and domestic interiors as well as
presentation pieces and awards.
Contest lets women's enterprise sparkle - The Journal 11.06.07
Jessamy kelly and Joanne Mitchell entered last year's Blueprint awards with glass design
company Juo Ltd, which produces fused art glass, giftware and interior panels. Juo was
overall winner in the University of Sunderland awards and also won the creative industries
category.
The company, which has been trading for 10 months, has already seen great results, such
as securing the account to produce the Great North Run "hall of fame" awards and others
for major North companies, such as Mslexia and Tekla. It has also been offered a Crafts
Council solo showcase of its new autumn/winter collection at the National Glass Centre.
Jessamy said: "The Blueprint awards helped us to refine and develop our business idea in
a supporting and open environment - the team of mentors were extremely helpful.
"The boundless advice and preparation that was given helped us gain confidence and
positive recognition in our business. The whole experience got our ambition really fired up,
giving us the extra drive and flair when it came to present our business at the final. I
would recommend the Blueprint awards because it is a fantastic and challenging
experience that helps you realise the full potential of your business.
"The directions we took as a result of Blueprint really helped us build a strong foundation
for a successful venture. Without the intense preparation and support that we received the
business would have taken a lot longer to get off the ground."
Maker's Statement:
Jessamy’s work celebrates the handmade and crafted process of glassmaking, which she believes gives her more freedom to explore new forms and artistic innovations. Based on the hand crafted sensitivity of craft practice; her work is inspired by organic and naturally repeating forms. Minimal amounts of cutting are used working with the simplicity of the form to create a soft sensitive aesthetic. Diamond cutting and sandblasting machinery is used to sculpt the pieces. Her work shows balance, precision and great delicacy.
Drawing upon her design philosophy and motivation. She says,“To realise the pure essence and intensity of glass requires both order and artistry. Newness is gained by reinventing the traditional skills of glassmaking in innovative ways which inspires me to originate bold, energised designs for the modern consumer."
Jessamy is a designer-maker; working mainly in the mediums of glass and ceramics. Since 1998, she has worked with both materials in juxtaposition; in October 2004 she began her doctoral research into the combination of glass and ceramics in a hot state, within studio practice. Glass and porcelain are materials with many common qualities; they are both made in similar ways, and transformed into functional objects. But it is their transparency/ translucency and their reaction to light which intrigues me. The qualities of the materials when light passes through them to reveal inner luminosity inspires her to combine them and to examine their relationship in her sculptural artworks. Jessamy also work as a freelance industrial glass designer; this collaboration with industry helps to inform her creative practice and influences her studio work.
Since graduating from the University of Sunderland with a degree in Glass and Ceramics, Jessamy went on to complete her Masters degree in Glass Product Design at Edinburgh College of Art in collaboration with Edinburgh Crystal in December 2002. She is currently studying for her PHD in Glass and Ceramics, which she is due to complete in 2010.
Studio visits are welcome.
Commissioning Procedure
Initial consultation 1-2 weeks
Prototyping 1-2 weeks
Production 3-4 weeks
Pricing Policy
£200-£3000+ Sculptural Art Glass
£50-£250 Functional tableware & Giftware
VAT Registered: No
