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

2024

• 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

2014

• Internship with James Lethbridge RCA, Antwerp, Belgium

2013

• Flameworking Demonstration at St Botolph's Waiting Room, Kiosk Two, The Old Bus Station, Colchester, Essex
• Making Flameworked Glass Commissions for inclusions to Layne Rowe's Blown Work at London Glassblowing, 62-66 Bermondsey Street, London
• Assistant to Bruce Marks, Layne Rowe and Louis Thompson at London Glassblowing, 62-66 Bermondsey St, London

2012

• Flameworking Demonstration for Open Studios at Red Flower Glass Studio, Colchester, Essex

2011

• Setting up Red Flower Glass Studio, Colchester, Essex
• Flameworking Demonstration at Red Flower Glass Studio, Colchester, Essex
• Flameworking Demonstration at Glass Art Gallery, Glass From The Past, Barleylands Craft Village, Billericay, Essex

2010

• Assistant to Lynden Over at Lava Glass, Taupo, New Zealand
• Assistant to Chris Jones at Lava Glass, Taupo, New Zealand
• Assistant to John Penman at John Penman Glass, Auckland, New Zealand

2009

• Hot Glass Tutorial Assistant at Wanganui Glass School, Wanganui, New Zealand
• Assistant to Neil Bridges at Barleylands Glassworks, Billericay, Essex

2008

• Assistant to Neil Bridges at Barleylands Glassworks, Billericay, Essex

2007

• Assistant to Colin Reid at Colin Reid Glass, Stroud, Gloucestershire

Education

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

Publications

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

Mosaic & Glass, Issue 2, May – July 2022

Essex Life, May 2022

Dive Magazine, Issue 25, Winter 2022

Bead Magazine, 2011

Atrium, January/February 2009

Craft and Design Magazine, Issue 199, September/ October 2008

Mix Interiors Direct, 2008

Bucks Free Press, 2008

Craft Magazine, 2008

Awards

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

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

2022

• Made in Colchester – Christmas Fair, Colchester, Essex
• Hidden Landscapes, at The Old Grocery, Wivenhoe, Colchester, Essex
• Glasshaus +, at Parndon Mill, Harlow, Essex
• VK Gallery, Coast Exhibition, St Ives, Cambridgeshire
• VK Gallery, Spring into Colour Exhibition, St Ives, Cambridgeshire

2021

• VK Gallery, Coast Exhibition, St Ives, Cambridgeshire
• VK Gallery, Colour Exhibition, St Ives, Cambridgeshire

2013

• Hazel Gallery at St Botolph's, The Old Bus Station, Colchester, Essex
• Glass Fest, Barleylands Craft Village, Billericay, Essex
• Naze Tower, The Naze, Walton-on-the-Naze, Essex
• Amelie Rose Fair, Wivenhoe British Legion, The Quay, Wivenhoe, Essex
• Weasel in a Teacup, The Summer Art Market, Colchester Arts Centre, Colchester, Essex
• Town to Port Festival, King Edward Quay, Colchester, Essex
• Hush Hush Gallery, Frinton-on-Sea, Essex
• Weasel in a Teacup, The Easter Art Market, Colchester Arts Centre, Colchester, Essex
• The Minories Art Gallery, Colchester, Essex
• Glass From The Past at Barleylands Craft Village, Billericay, Essex

2012

• Christmas Art and Design Fair, The Minories Art Gallery, Colchester, Essex
• Weasel in a Teacup, The Christmas Art Market, Colchester Arts Centre, Colchester, Essex
• Open Studios, Red Flower Glass Studio, Colchester, Essex
• Weasel in a Teacup, The Autumn Art Market, Colchester Arts Centre, Colchester, Essex
• GBUK Stand at Bonded Warehouse, International Glass Festival, Stourbridge
• Weasel in a Teacup, Art Market, Colchester Arts Centre, Colchester, Essex
• The Great Glass Bead Game Exhibition (official Essex Cultural Olympiad event) at Slack Space, Victoria Place, Colchester, Essex
• Firstsite, Colchester, Essex
• Beads and Lampworking Online Exhibtion, Contemporary Glass Society
• The Minories Art Gallery, Colchester, Essex
• Glass Art Gallery, Glass From The Past at Barleylands Craft Village, Billericay, Essex

2011

• Glass From The Past at Barleylands Craft Village, Billericay, Essex
• Slack Space at Colchester, Essex

2009

• Digby Gallery at Mercury Theatre, Colchester, Essex

2008

• Glasshaus III at Pardon Mill, Harlow, Essex
• National Trust at Melford Hall Autumn Show, Long Melford, Suffolk
• New Designers SELECTION at Village Underground, Shoreditch, London
• New Designers at The Business Design Centre, London
• Graduation Show at Bucks New Uni, High Wycombe, Bucks