Glass poppy to be auctioned for legion appeal

A Suffolk glass maker is on a mission to raise money for the Royal British Legion.

When Laura Hart from Sudbury raffled a glass poppy at Art in Action in Oxford over the summer she raised more than £900 for the charity.

She has only made three such poppies, with the second auctioned in September and the third to be auctioned in Norwich in November.

Mrs Hart said: “The reason I chose the Royal British Legion is I made the poppies in honour of my grandfather who was twice mentioned in dispatches for gallantry in the field during the First World War.

“The third poppy will be auctioned at the Poppy Ball in Norwich on November 7. I am hoping to raise quite a bit more.”

Inspired by her love of flowers, particularly orchids, Laura Hart’s sculptural flower collections combine several glass fusion techniques.

“Emulating the delicate, ethereal translucency of flower petals, I recreate the living structure as it forms in nature,” she said.

“Backlighting reveals every gossamer detail through the layers in a diffused spectral glow.”

Her diverse creative career spans over 30 years, from theatre and film to architectural restoration of heritage buildings.

She studied with Erna Piechna at Creative Glass in Rochester in 2009 and Northlands Creative Glass School in 2011.

Immersed in the medium ever since, she continues to develop new techniques and skills.

The Poppy Ball, takes place at the Holiday Inn, Norwich, on November 7.

To book a ticket or for more information call 01603 410544.