Well known author, broadcaster and Antiques Roadshow expert Mark Hill spoke passionately about the pioneering art of glassmaker Michael Harris in this lecture.
Pre-1960s glass making and glass artists were separate roles. Glass was only made in big factories as it was an expensive process and there was no formal training.
Michael Harris (1933-1994) was a graduate of the Royal College of Art, and was fascinated by glass. He made a number of “cold” glass designed pieces such as his Eucalyptus Calypto ware, using a tapping technique. He produced unique cold glass designs for the Ionian Bank and a dividing glass wall for the SS Canberra.
However, in 1963-64, he travelled to Yugoslavia and learned to blow glass for himself. Then, the invention of the small studio furnace by Sam Herman allowed Michael to develop his skills in glass blowing. In 1968, after 10 years of teaching at the RCA, he decided to give up his secure job and go to Malta where he set up his Mdina Glass Studio with his business partner Eric Dobson. Malta had no pre-existing glass making tradition which freed Michael up to experiment. With a great understanding of form and line, and using chemicals, such as silver chloride, to increase the colour in the glass making process, Michael was able to add different textual hues to his designs. He made high end glass gifts for tourists as pieces of art and sculpture which they bought as souvenirs of their visit to Malta. He was challenging what glass could be used for.
Forced to leave Malta in 1971, Michael relocated to the Isle of Wight, where he focused on training new glass blowers. He continued to develop his early ranges like “Seaward” and captured period fashion with new shapes and colours, especially gold and silver as can be seen in his famed “Azurene” period (1978). He started blowing coloured glass instead of adding chemicals to give the glass colour. He was always pushing himself to experiment further. 
Michael Harris’s studio grew into a global success with his two sons, Timothy and Jonathan, also working and designing glass, each of whom created their own styles. Michael helped other glass artists set up their studios in Guernsey, Jersey and the Isle of Man while also expanding into cheaper glass making with his “Meadow”, Iridaceae and Kyoto ranges, all inspired by nature. (1983-85). He was incredibly clever about adding and creating colours as well as developing designs and shapes. In 1989 he set up another Glass Studio in the warmer climate of Gozo. Sadly his health was declining, probably due to the many chemicals he used in his studio and he died in 1994 at the age of 61.
Mark Hill who has also written a book “Michael Harris: Mdina and Isle Wight Glass”, gave us a real feel for the journey that Michael was on to make glass making into an accepted “Art form”. He was a true pioneer in his field.
Liz Beecheno