NEW work by the cream of British contemporary glass artists goes on show at York Art Gallery from next week.

The eight artists were all short-listed for the Jerwood Applied Arts Prize, the most prestigious award in the applied and decorative arts in Britain, which this year was awarded for excellence and innovation in contemporary glass. York will be the first venue to host the exhibition outside London.

The artists, both new and mid-career, have approached glass in different and unexpected ways. The resulting sculpture and object and installation-based work bridges the boundaries between craft and fine art.

The prize winner, Helen Maurer, explores the use of glass with light and experiments with scale and visual impact. She creates miniature 3D images on overhead projectors and shelves, which are seen as 2D images.

Katharine Coleman's work, by contrast, uses the traditional technique of wheel engraving. She focuses on the properties of glass as a material and the action of the marks made by the engraving wheel.

Alexander Beleschenko, Matthew Durran, Amber Hiscott, Angela Jarman, Colin Rennie and Koichiro Yamamoto are exhibiting too.

Caroline Worthington, Curator of Fine Art for York Museums Trust, says: "We're delighted to be hosting this show and hope that visitors will be amazed at the variety of ways in which contemporary makers are working with glass."

Now in its ninth year, the Jerwood Applied Arts Prize and exhibition is organised by the Crafts Council. The prize runs on a five-yearly cycle incorporating ceramics, textiles, glass, furniture and jewellery.

Jerwood Applied Arts Prize 2003: Glass will be in York from November 8 to January 18. Admission is free and opening hours are 10am to 5pm daily.

Updated: 09:36 Friday, October 31, 2003