kia the recycled glass penguin
by LOUISE TRUSLOW
Louise was born and raised in Leigh-on-Sea and has stayed connected to the area despite living abroad for many years. She returned around eight years ago and now has a studio there. Louise began painting professionally while living in Bangkok and has had an international career, exhibiting in both the Far East and the UK.
ABOUT THE SCULPTURE
Kai, meaning ‘sea’, is adorned with a mosaic made from recycled, lead-free crystal glass fragments, kiln-fired for smoothness. Artist Louise powers her kiln with solar panels, sustainably transforming discarded glass into vibrant beads. The mosaic spans Kai’s front, from neck to legs, with a small motif on his back; the rest is painted in acrylics. The design draws inspiration from aerial Antarctic Ocean photography.
fIND ME AT - CLEMENTS ARCADE (INSIDE)
SCULPTURE SPONSOR
IPECO HOLDINGS LIMITED
Ipeco is a world-renowned provider of aircraft crew seating and executive jet passenger seating, and it is also expanding in the electrical galley insert sector. Established in 1960 as a subcontract engineering firm, Ipeco was based in a nissen hut located behind a house on Bournemouth Park Road, Southend-on-Sea. Today, in its third generation of family ownership, Ipeco is a trusted supplier to many major aircraft manufacturers and airlines. With state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities and a workforce of over 900 employees, the company still operates in Southend, with facilities also present in the USA, Germany, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Beijing.
