Sarah J Powell Art

On a very hot day in June 2022 Sarah had an amazing experience as a wildcard on the 2023 Sky Arts Landscape Artist of the Year at Royal Ascot.

It began early in the morning with checking in canvases and meeting fellow artists, all with differing mediums and experience. Sarah had her trusty oils, perhaps not so easy in the weather conditions. She soon found out that it gets very gooey and attracts grass and grit!!

It was the first time for LAOR to go to Ascot and there was a strict dress code. Posh frocks and hats were needed. Wildcards were positioned near the entrance to the Royal enclosure, A good position to watch people, outfits and fantastic hats! The Royal Procession was a highlight of the day. Throughout the day one could pop over to the pods near the stand to observe the contestants .

There was certainly a great feeling of comradery In the Wild card area. Ideas, picnics and experience shared and friendships made. It was a pleasure to meet Dame Joan Blackwell. Stephen Mangan kept the contestants amused. One was on their best behaviour when the judges came round! All in all, a great experience.

Now the programme has aired, Sarah can share her time at Ascot and is currently finishing off her picture in her Cwmdu studio.

Members of the Guild of Master Craftsmen and Federation of Small Businesses, The House of Ugly Fish is a small, husband and wife artisan business based on the beautiful Isle of Anglesey, specialising in the creation of fully bespoke, handmade fused glass art. Their artworks are perfect for the home environment as well as in commercial applications and for outdoor spaces.

Having moved home and business to Anglesey, Paul and Lisa have worked hard to establish a new workshop with a retail shop filled with glass and canvas artworks, beautiful home accessories and Welsh products including salt, soaps and candles. Lisa also runs glassmaking classes.

Lisa Villarospo

Lisa’s background as a commercial fine artist led her to produce work for many galleries and retail shops until she finally broke into the world of commercial glass art in 2005.

Lisa honed her glass making skills and soon made her presence known in the world of fused glass art. Being half Venetian, her love of Murano glass has influenced her greatly, as can be seen in the striking colours used in her own glass art. Together with The House of Ugly Fish, Lisa has transformed the perception of fused glass from a simple craft to something that can be recognised as legitimate artwork, and established a place for fused glass art alongside art on canvas and art in frames.

A Leading Name in Fused Glass Artistry, Lisa is now one of the most accomplished glass artists in the world, with a widely recognised style that has roots in her fine art background. Her art is as often seen in the hands of private collectors and A-list celebrities as it is behind the cooker or on the wall of your average home.

Her work with The House of Ugly Fish can be seen in homes, hotels, restaurants, hospitals and offices across the country. It has also been featured on TV programmes such as Grand Designs, House Gift and BBC’s Happy Valley with both The Times newspaper and Homes & Gardens magazine running articles about Lisa’s art and The House of Ugly Fish.

She is artistically mutable and can create many different genres in art from figurative to seascapes, fine art to abstract.

She says “I am constantly inspired by Anglesey’s beauty. Every time I go for a walk, there’s a gorgeous sky or a captured moment from an ever changing landscape. I find ways to put, what is in my head, into glass using enamel powders and textured glass in various forms. I love creating beach scenes best of all.” @houseofuglyfish

Email: info@thehouseofuglyfish.com