Elena Fleury-Rojo MSDC

Elena Fleury-Rojo is a British flameworker and glass blower. In 2008 she graduated from Buckinghamshire University with a BA (hons) in glass blowing. During her degree she apprenticed under Colin Reid and learnt the skills of kiln formed glass. At New Designers in 2008 Elena was hand picked for the 'New Designers SELECTION', which showcases the country’s finest students.

After graduating she worked at the Wanganui Glass School in New Zealand as a Hot Glass Tutorial Assistant. Once her contract was completed she received offers to work in several glass blowing studios around New Zealand such as Lava Glass, (where she worked with Lynden Over and Chris Jones) John Penman Glass and Garry Nash Studio.

Whilst in New Zealand Elena discovered the art of flameworking and this was a game changer for Elena artistic career. In 2011, she returned to England, constructed a purpose built studio for flameworking and set up her own business called Red Flower Glass. During her first year trading under Red Flower Glass she entered her first glass competition and won first prize for the GBUK Glass Bead Competition.

In 2013 her journey brought her to London, to work as an assistant at London Glassblowing. Here Elena worked under master glass blowers Bruce Marks, Layne Rowe and Louis Thompson. Following this experience Layne Rowe commissioned Elena to make the glass daisies for his 'Hardware Series', that was exhibited at the Saatchi Gallery, London.

In order to develop her practice, in 2014 Elena was accepted to do an internship with James Lethbridge RCA in Antwerp, Belgium. She gained the skills in borosilicate glass, making organic chandeliers. This was a vital part of her creative practice development and she has continued to up-skill in this area ever since.

'Reef Formations Volume 1' has been featured in five high profile publications and one of her pieces from the Reef Formations has been selected as part of the contemporary glass collection at the Glass Museum in Stourbridge, to represent flameworking skills in the UK.

Elena was successfully awarded the Arts Council England DYCP grant in 2022. This has enabled her to expand her studio and to learn scientific glass blowing techniques from Brian Jones MBE at the National Glass Centre, Sunderland. From this opportunity she has developed a new collection called 'Message in a Bottle'.

In 2024 Elena was accepted into the Society of Designer Craftsmen as a Full Member. The Society of Designer Craftsmen is one of the oldest and most highly regarded arts and crafts societies in the UK.

Elena has created three limited edition pieces to expand her current collection entitled "Message in a Bottle". This marks Elena's first ever glass collaboration with the highly acclaimed Berlin-based glass artist, Jason Hitchcock.

Simone Crestani who is a world renowned flameworker, hand picked Elena to attend his first ever Masterclass of five students selected worldwide, which was held at his studio in Italy. This enabled Elena to develop and hone her skills further.

Professional Glasswork Experience (Recent)

2024

• Trustee on the Board of the Contemporary Glass Society
  
• Advanced Plus Flameworking Masterclass with Simone Crestani at his studio in Italy.
• Presenting a seminar "My Glass Journey" at Newcastle University, Dove Marine Station, Newcastle, UK.
• Working in collaboration with Glass artist - Jason Hitchcock based in Berlin. Combining his glass marine animals with my glass corals.

2023

• Glasgow University, Research Trip meeting Dr Ayako Tani discussing the preservation of Scientific Glassblowing and the fusion of Scientific Glass working with Artistic Glass techniques.
• Meeting the British Society of Scientific Glass Blowers Scottish Section at Glasgow University and presenting a talk on my work morphing Scientific Glass with Flameworking and my Glass Journey.
• Working in collaboration with Brian Jones MBE at The National Glass Centre, Sunderland, UK, learning Scientific Glass working techniques

2022

• Working in collaboration with Brian Jones MBE at The National Glass Centre, Sunderland, UK, learning Scientific Glass working techniques
• Short Term Contract – Scientific Glassblower, Quartz Silica Products Ltd, Rayne, Essex

Education

2008 - BA Hons Ceramics with Glass (2:1) at Bucks New University

Publications (Recent)

Artist Up Close, Autumn 2024

In Her Studio, Autumn 2024

Heritage Crafts - Members Showcase - 2024

Reclaim Magazine, February 2024

Essex Life, February 2024

The Flow Magazine, Winter 2023

British Society of Scientific Glassblower Journal, Vol 61, October 2023

Bead and Jewellery, Spring, Issue 123, 2023

Artists responding To, Issues 6, Spring 2023

The Flow Magazine, Spring 2023

Colossal, March 17th 2023

Awards

2024 - Heritage Crafts Training Bursary

2022 - Awarded the DYCP Grant from the Arts Council England

Competition

2012 - GBUK Glass Bead Competition, First Place, Beginner Section, Theme Fauna

Exhibitions / Galleries/ Fairs (Recent)

2024

• Greener Glass: An Exhibition of Environmentally Sustainable Glass Art - Stourbridge Glass Museum
• Cullercoats Festival, Newcastle University, Dove Marine Station, Newcastle
• Cycles of Life – Online Exhibition – Contemporary Glass Society
• Spring Exhibition, Naze Tower, The Naze, Walton-on-the-Naze, Essex

2023

• Wearable Glass - Online Exhibition – Contemporary Glass Society
• Stourbridge Glass Museum – “Reef Formation” been selected for permanent exhibition as part of their Contemporary Collection representing Flameworking in the UK.
• Oyster Gallery, Mersea Island, Essex
• Naze Tower, The Naze, Walton-on-the-Naze, Essex
• Small but Magnificent - Online Exhibition – Contemporary Glass Society
• Coast Exhibition, High Street, Tiptree, Essex
• GlassRocks! Art Exhibition at The Sentinel Gallery, Wivenhoe, Colchester, Essex