Photo: Nexus by Colin Rennie. Courtesy York Art Gallery.

Lorraine Bathurst ventured across York to see some contemporary craft.

An exhibition featuring some of Britain’s top contemporary glass artists is on display at York Art Gallery until January 18, 2004.

The exhibits on show were all short-listed for the Jerwood Applied Arts Prize, which this year was awarded for excellence and innovation in contemporary glass.

Organised by the Crafts Council with funding from the Jerwood Charitable Foundation, the competition was won in 2003 by Helen Maurer.

Photo: Oranges and Lemons by Katherine Coleman. Courtesy York Art Gallery.

Altogether there were eight short-listed artists and their compositions use a mixture of modern and traditional techniques to produce a striking display of sculpture, installation and object-based work.

Maurer explores the effect of glass with light, experimenting with scale and visual impact to create three-dimensional amorphous images on an overhead projector, which appears as a recognisable two-dimensional image when projected onto a wall or screen.

The judging panel included Ray Flavell, Head of the Glass Department at Edinburgh College of Art, Alison Pinner, Director OXO Tower Wharf and artist, Richard Meitner.

Photo: Cave Painting by Helen Maurer. Courtesy York Art Gallery.

"Glass is a material for the 21st century and in combination with other resources, Helen has created something wonderful and original," the judges explained in a statement.

"Helen’s work is full of promise, taking glass to a new dimension. With a combination of skill and imagination, she has opened up a new horizon for all artists interested in glass."

Among the other artists that feature in the exhibition is Katharine Coleman, who uses more traditional techniques of wheel engraving to create dramatic designs.

Photo: Half Empty Half Full by Koichiro Yamamoto. Courtesy York Art Gallery.

Koichiro Yamamoto uses engraving to create subtle illusions on familiar shapes, while Colin Rennie’s haunting compositions take on an organic form with a thought provoking look at the potential of evolution.

Speaking to the 24 Hour Museum, Janet Barnes, Chief Executive of York Museums Trust said: "We were very interested in being able to show innovative, contemporary glass as opportunities to see new work rarely happen. The annual Jerwood prize gives an insight into the very best of British creativity."

The Jerwood Applied Arts Prize 2003 runs on a five-yearly cycle covering different creative disciplines including ceramics, textiles, glass, furniture and jewellery.