Pam and Andy Kallender run The Glass Barge, making a wide range of pendants, earrings, brooches and other items, aboard their narrowboat ‘The Glass Barge’ and from their home in nb 'Enchanted Moon'.
The ‘Wow’ factor that you get when you open the kiln for the first time is inspirational. The sharp edged bits of glass that you put in, have turned into smooth, sensual, glossy shapes, glowing with bright iridescent colours. That is what got us hooked on fused glass.
We trained with John Dunn, at The Open Studio in Brighton, who inspired and encouraged us in the art of producing jewellery from fused glass.
Initially we were working from our home in Eastbourne, where we have lived since 1982, selling at local farmers markets and village fairs.
Having had a share in a narrow boat for several years and enjoyed the boating life it became our dream to combine the production of fused glass jewellery with our love of canal boats.
We purchased Enchanted Moon in May 2009 and have spent time making her a comfortable boat for living and working aboard.
Our plan was to divide our time between cruising the canal network and our home in Eastbourne.
The plan changed over time and after spending 3 seasons trading from the side of Enchanted Moon, we purchased a second narrow boat. We spent 18 months refitting an ex community boat and converting it into 'The Glass Barge' with a workshop, kiln room and Gallery in the front two thirds and a shower room and sleeping cabin at the back.
Since 2015 we have been traveling with two boats and selling from our gallery in nb 'The Glass Barge'. We sold our home in Eastbourne in March 2015 and are now living full time on the canals. 'Enchanted Moon' is our home and we work from 'The Glass Barge'.
Sometimes we take The Glass Barge on its own to a festival. This is normally where there are a lot of single locks between us and the festival!
