An individually handmade set of three contemporary glass sailing boats, created in graduated sizes.
Clear golden yellow flows through warm orange into coral red at the base of each sail. Fine particles of coloured glass create a softly textured transition, capturing the rich glow of a sunset reflected across open water. Created and fired together, the three coordinating boats form a complete miniature regatta.
Sunset Crew is part of the unpatterned Regatta range and may be made again, but the natural movement and distribution of the glass ensure that every boat—and every set—will vary slightly. This listing is for the set of three shown in the photographs.
THE STORY BEHIND THE REGATTA COLLECTION
The Regatta Collection grew from a lifetime spent around sailboats and the sea. Some of my earliest and strongest memories are connected with water, and sailing has remained a thread running through my life. More recently, watching the racing from Felpham Beach and returning to New Zealand brought many of those memories back to the surface. While in Auckland during the Covid period, I was fortunate to attend the 36th America’s Cup. We travelled out by boat to the very edge of the racecourse, close enough to experience the extraordinary scale, speed and movement of the yachts as they passed. It was an unforgettable reminder of the power and elegance of a sail carried by the wind.
These glass boats are not intended as precise models. They are small responses to remembered sails, racing boats, shifting horizons and light moving across open water. Each coordinating colourway is made using individually formed fused-glass sails and handmade glass stands.
Natural variations within the glass ensure that no two boats—or regattas—will ever be completely identical. Each piece carries a fragment of those experiences: New Zealand waters, sailing in Hong Kong, the racing off Felpham and the enduring feeling of being at home near the sea.
DISPLAY AND CONSTRUCTION
Each fused-glass sail rests on its own handmade clear-glass base, shaped to suggest a boat’s hull and finished with a polished chrome fitting. Display the three together as a regatta or arrange them individually across a shelf, mantelpiece or windowsill. Placed near a window, the translucent colour becomes particularly luminous as the light passes through the glass. Approximate overall heights:
Small: 12 cm
Medium:15 cm
Large: 17 cm
The largest glass hull measures approximately 12 × 4 cm. As every component is individually handmade, measurements, colour distribution and markings may vary slightly. The sails separate from their stands for secure, compact delivery and are easily reassembled on arrival.
Designed and handmade by Jan Simpson in her West Sussex studio. The three boats are sold together as a complete regatta.
