Mike Hunter
Twists Glass Studio designer, glass blower and founder, Michael James Hunter took seven years of his life and dedicated them to rediscover and successfully reintroduce the near lost techniques of embedding coloured glass canes into the stems of glass tableware and giftware.
Dating back to the 18th century, these traditional skills have not been utilized commercially since the Victorian era. Each handcrafted glass is mouth blown with hands guiding the process at the furnace, to the extent that no more than 20 stems can be made on any day. Hand finishing allows for the distinctive characteristics to each individual glass, from the pontil mark on the base where an iron has been attached to allow the bowl to be hand opened and finished at the furnace to the opening rings visible when the glass is held up to light. Each glass is signed and dated by Michael by using a diamond-engraving pen.
Michael's work has been at the forefront of the glass industry since 1998 when Twists Glass Studio was founded in the Scottish Borders. He has made for private collectors and designed and supplied candleholders for one of the Queen's Royal Warrant Holders.
Primavera has a collection of around 10 pieces by Mike Hunter.