Former midwife is now a ‘glass act’

A local woman has made the most of her retirement by turning a new love of craft into a specialist hobby.

Formally a midwife, Di Vernon took up the crafts after retiring, firstly with glass followed by smithing to combine the mediums.

And this month, Welshpool Rotary welcomed the skilled artist to share her new-found talents.

Di started glass journey with the three disciplines of copper foiling, fused and leaded.

Copper foiling involves cutting the glass, grinding, washing and drying, copper foiling the cut edges and soldering which produces the likes of suncatchers and creating lamps.

Fused glass uses a different type of glass, a glass that can go in a kiln, (like a potter’s kiln) to make items like coasters or bowls.

Finally, leaded glass is used for stained glass windows using the different skills of cutting the lead cam to fit around the cut glass and soldering.

During the talk, guests were invited to cut glass and shown the tools used in her artwork that haven’t changed over hundreds of years.

Di has combined her glass skills with traditional blacksmithing and welding to produce garden stakes and other garden items.

Examples of her art can be found on the ‘Di Vernon’ Facebook page.

Welshpool Rotary meet on the second and fourth Wednesday at 12.30pm at the Royal Oak at the Cross in Welshpool.

For more information on what Rotary has to offer contact Mike Lade on 07803 038858, welshpoolrotary@gmail.com or see www.welshpoolrotary.com. Also on Facebook @rotaryinwelshpool.