About

Callula Glass, by Designer-Maker Joanne Taylor, features  collections of geometrically inspired, decorative and functional glassware for the contemporary home. Bold palettes form themed colourways, which are regularly refreshed to reflect key seasonal interior trends.   Collections include several pieces which are designed to work individually or mixed and matched in a room setting.  Each piece is unique, tactile and collectable.

Modern interior and graphic design, as well as historical design movements, particularly the linear style of Charles Rennie Mackintosh and the grid formations of the De Stijl movement, influence Joanne.  Inspiration is also taken from the intricate details which make up a familiar object; something that you may only notice by zooming in close.

Joanne prides herself on the high quality finish of her work, which she achieves through fastidious planning of each part of the process. Designs begin life as mood boards of colour schemes, followed by a series of sketches before the glass is cut and shaped by hand, cleaned, and assembled in the kiln ready for a series of fusing and slumping programmes.

Callula is a Latin name, meaning ‘little beauty’ which is the pre-requisite for each design.

What is fused glass?

In simplest terms fused, or kiln-formed, glass is the result of a process where layers of compatible glass are joined together by heating them in a kiln to around 800C until the glass becomes fluid.  The pieces of glass then fuse together and are cooled down very slowly to reduce the risk of thermal shock.  This process takes 16 – 20 hours.  For shaped pieces such as curved bowls, a second firing takes place with the fused piece placed on a mould into which it ‘slumps’.

Due to the handcrafted nature of fused glass, no two pieces are exactly identical and slight variances should be expected. 

Joanne is a member of the Contemporary Glass Society.