What it takes to paint the perfect gin glass! - WhataHoot

What it takes to paint the perfect gin glass!

Meet Amy Smith, Artist Extraordinaire behind our totally gorgeous Hand Painted Glasses! 

My name is Amy Smith and I am the artist behind Wild Meadow Designs. I paint a lot of nature-inspired art, with glassware being my canvas. I have always had huge respect and deep connection with nature, being born and bred in Norfolk, I am very lucky to be surrounded by a lot of it. I've always found beauty in the simplest of things, even a gloriously golden dandelion in the garden. This stemmed my journey to try and capture nature in my work. I've always wanted to create art which had a bit of magic incorporated in it and this is where the idea of painting on glass came from, I could play with light, and colour, and create what almost looks like a frozen moment in time captured within a glass.

I come from a long line of artists and creative people, art has always been there in various forms throughout my life. It was defiantly my fondest subject at school and college, and something I have always fallen back on when in need of a bit of 'me time'. I have two young children, so had a small break from art, it's hard to fit in time to be creative, even time just for yourself, with all that parenthood brings. I had started to paint on glassware before my oldest daughter was born, but had not really touched a paintbrush for about 3 years, until the start of last year when I painted a few watercolours. Around the same time I was sorting out my shed and found my box of glasses I had painted a few years before, and remembered how much I enjoyed creating them, the switch in my mind was instantly turned on, and I knew I wanted to start up my art business again.

Strangely my artistic style has completely changed from few years previous, its almost as if I had to wait until now for my confidence in my art to fully grow and be able to show people my work again. The first design I painted was a lavender scene going around a gin glass, I use a special design glass paint which I then bake on in a domestic oven. Shortly after painting the first gin glass I designed my second, a dandelion and bumble bee design, both of which are still one of the most popular designs with my customers today.

I had not intended to start my business again as quickly as I did, it was actually my husband who chucked me in at the deep end by taking some of my gin glasses to the Royal Norfolk Show and showing them so some of the gin distillers in the food hall where he was also based. Three of them allowed him to leave one of my glasses on their stand for the day, and as if fate had planned it all, I was instantly messaged by customers asking to buy a glass. They do say it is your job as an artist to get your artwork in front of people. It also started my relationship with the fab team at Whatahoot. (Something my husband likes to remind me off often!) . I am very proud to stay I am a glassware artist for them still today, creating a special design to work in with their signature dry gin, incorporating Norfolk lavender, Norfolk samphire and of course their trademark hoot (owl) taking centre stage at the top of the glass.

A year on from when I first picked up my paint brushes again, I have painted and been commissioned to paint a few hundred glasses, and broken through goals and boundaries I didn't even think I was capable of (even writing this blog!). I love the fact that each glass I paint is slightly different, each glass is one of a kind. I think this makes it extra special when I am commissioned to paint something for customers, loved one, an art which has been created especially for them, which captures a memory, emotion or something special.

As my business moves forward into 2019, I am excited to say I have launched new glassware designs, continued my work with Whatahoot, stocked my glassware in local independent stores, and am very soon to be teaching my first glass painting workshop.

When I paint, its almost as if time stands still, it really does make my soul happy. And the fact, that at this point in time I get to do this as a job, is really all I could ask for.  

Why not purchase your own hand painted unique WhataHoot gin glass CLICK HERE