Dr Ayako Tani is an Assistant Scientific Glassblower at the University. Based in the Joseph Black building, the University employs a small team of technical glassblowers who create bespoke glassware for Chemistry research.
Glassblowing as an occupation is increasingly becoming extremely niche in the UK and the decreasing pool of individuals with the skills necessary to work in Glass Workshops means training up apprentices is vital for the industry. In the process of her training, Ayako must take part in several practical examinations over the coming years as she develops into a fully qualified scientific glassblower, the most recent of which she took in March 2023.
Born in Tokyo, Ayako first encountered glassblowing as a hobby. Realising that she had little enthusiasm for her job at a computing firm, Ayako endeavoured to find a role she was passionate for and felt she could excel. This took her to the University of Sunderland in 2006, where Ayako received a PHD in the art of glass. She says that she became interested in communication and expression through artwork, “the joy of communicating through your work”. Many of her own artistic glasswork focuses on this theme of communication, such as her pieces exploring calligraphic glass.
After graduating, Ayako discovered the National Glass Centre in Sunderland, where she spent weekends learning a great deal from several retired scientific glassblowers. It was at the National Glass Centre that Ayako realised a passion for the curious and perhaps forgotten art of glass ships inside bottles. These intriguing ornaments were once a burgeoning UK industry, in the North-East of England in particular, and one in which Ayako has devoted herself to documenting and preserving.
Ayako with a glass ship inside a bottle. These unique ornaments were once a burgeoning industry.
When demand for heavy industrial glassware dwindled in the UK during the 70s and 80s, many former factory workers turned their fine-tuned skills to capitalise on a skyrocketing demand for glass ships in bottles as household ornaments. What started out as a lunchtime activity and secondary source of income rapidly became the primary profession for large numbers of former industrial glassworkers. Gripped by this unique episode of UK glass working, Ayako committed to documenting and preserving its characters and history through her art project, “Vessels of Memory”.
The practice of creating a glass ship in a bottle is fascinating to see take form, and Ayako has since created many pieces of her own, harnessing techniques and expertise shared by the community of former scientific glassblowers. In 2022 Ayako started working at UofG, where she joined the University’s very own Glass Workshop. Ayako, alongside John Liddell, Senior Glasblower at the University for 13 years, create bespoke glassware to the School of Chemistry’s specifications, as well as any other commissioned projects that are requested.
Ayako also continues to work on her glass art projects. In the summer of 2024, Ayako will be helping to organise and will attend the biannual International Festival of Glass, where she will exhibiting her calligraphic glass artwork.
Ayako with her glass artwork piece, 'East Wind'