Welcome to see Galleria Rajatila’s exhibition at Designtori, Tampere this Sunday. Proud to be part of the exhibition with my glass artworks. See you at Tullikamari 11am-6pm!
Designtori Tampere 7.5.
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Afterglow
Nemeton– glass art exhibition ended last week in Helsinki, time to take a deep breath before new challenges! Here’s a short video from the glass studio: making of Queen of Vipers -unique Graal glass piece. Glassblowers Kari Alakoski and Marja Hepo-aho are sculpting my design at their studio in Riihimäki. Video by Ammi Lahtinen/Galleria Mafka&Alakoski.
My most sincere thanks to all support for this exhibition project: many thanks to Galleria Mafka&Alakoski for the opportunity to have a solo exhibition in Helsinki, lots of thanks to glassblowers Marja and Kari, carpenters, suppliers, national railroads, parents for lending me the car… and for Arts Promotion Centre Finland for supporting the making of the glass artworks…
And many thanks for all who visited the exhibition! Hope to see you in other exhibitions and venues – for example on 7.5. I’ll be attending Designtori, Tampere with Rajataide -organization of Tampere based artists.
Nemeton & Design District evening
Nemeton glass art exhibition is running still until 13.4., so remember to pop in at Galleria Mafka&Alakoski before the Easter holidays! Mythical forest made of glass reveals itself in several unique pieces and also as small series product: Nemeton-vase. The signature item of the exhibition is made of mouth blown glass with prints of different trees. The idea was to create beautiful home decor item that in multiple pieces forms up an illusion of a forest.
Galleria Mafka&Alakoski is located in Helsinki city centre, Iso Roobertinkatu 19. It is part of Design District Helsinki – cluster of design, antique and fashion stores, galleries and museums. During Design District Eve 6.4. gallery will be hosting Meet-the-artist-evening until 9pm. You’re more than welcome to pop by, see the artworks, videos from glass studio and hear about the story behind Nemeton, mythical glass forest.
Nemeton
Nemeton glass art exhibition 16.3.-13.4.2017 – is now open in Helsinki city centre! Welcome to see unique art pieces and small series depicting the mythical forest at Galleria Mafka&Alakoski, Iso Roobertinkatu 19, Helsinki. The gallery is open Tue-Fri 11am -6pm and Sat 11am -4pm, free entry. The exhibition will run until 13.4.
The inspiration for the artworks comes from the universal myth of sacred forests. Drawings made of tree silhouettes, meadow flowers and bees collide with the imaginative world. Glass pieces are capturing images of sacred trees, imaginative spring rituals and sheer beauty of nature. All the artworks are mouth blown glass, made in Riihimäki, Finland. Welcome to the gallery, both to see the mythic glass art and videos of how they were formed out of hot glass.
Making of the new glass artworks has been supported by Arts Promotion Centre Finland.
Coming up in Helsinki
Welcome to see my art in Helsinki this month!
- Ornamo Teosmyynti 2017 – designer’s sales exhibition 13.4.-16.3.2017 Kaapelitehdas, Puristamo, Tallberginkatu 1 C. Open Mon-Fri 12–18, Sat-Sun 11–17
- Ella Varvio: Nemeton 16.3.-13.4.2017 Galleria Mafka&Alakoski, Iso-Roobertinkatu 19. Open Tue-Sun 11-18
Both exhibitions have free entry and you can also check exhibition’s facebook events for more info: Ornamo Teosmyynti and Ella Varvio: Nemeton. Ornamo Teosmyynti presents artworks and designs from several artists and it’s part of Suomi100 events. (centenary of Finland’s 100 years of independence is full of events).
I’m also very glad (and slightly nervous) about my first solo exhibition in Helsinki at Galleria Mafka&Alakoski, gallery specialized in glass art at Iso-Roobertinkatu 19. The theme of my exhibition is the universal myth of sacred grove and forest as a playground for one’s imagination. Most of the artworks are unique pieces made with demanding Graal technique. Hope you’ll be enchanted by eerie images, hues of greenish blue and three dimensional effects of Graal technique. More pictures coming up, and most importantly -if you’re in Helsinki -come and see the show.
Transparent
It’s not easy to photograph glass – but I have tried my very best and learned some new tricks. Here are photos of some semi-recent artworks: Horseplay, Spring Flowers and Deep Blue Sleep. All these are unique art pieces, mouthblown glass, handmade in Finland.
Btw. you are welcome to follow me on my facebook and instagram sites – I will be posting on my up-coming exhibitions and such there too …
Work in process
I have been practicing a steady hand lately! I am producing a set of artworks inspired by nature – quite obvious for a Finn, but anyway. Some of these pieces are pure admiration of the beauty of trees, wild flowers, animals of the forest – some show the imaginative and much darker forest… It is very much work in process – even I myself am looking forward the final outcomes. These artworks will be on show at my solo exhibition at Galleria Mafka&Alakoski, Helsinki.
Here’s some of this years events, all in Finland / 2017 Näyttelyt
- Solo exhibition, Galleria Mafka&Alakoski, 16.3.-13.4.2017
- Syysnäyttely, Voipaalan taidekeskus 13.9.-15.11.2017
Felt-tip mania
Holidays are over, but here are some samples of drawings I’ve made recently with felt-tip markers – presumably for children. But who doesn’t like bright colours? These drawings were inspired by Tulip mania – people going mad in buying tulip bulbs in 17th century Netherlands. Can a flower with vivid colours be so precious that you’ll spend your fortune on them?
So, with fresh thoughts and ideas to the challenges of 2017! I’ll have at least two exhibitions to prepare for here in Finland (Galleria Mafka&Alakoski, Helsinki in March and group exhibition at Voipaala art center in September). I was also really glad to receive a letter all the way from Corning Museum of Glass: one of my artwork will be presented in New Glass Review 38. The Review will be published later this year – looking forward to see the assembly of new glass art it will present.
So, with fresh thoughts and ideas to the 2017.
Creative session
Some glow in the middle of darkness: hot glass! I had been hoarding some graal blanks for months and now it was time to make the ready pieces.
I’ve been creating drawings about sacred groves – important feature in many myths and many cultures: Finns, Celts, Slavic, etc. have considered forests and trees to be sacred. However these illustrations aim to be imaginative and mythical: they depict a mishmash of imaginary cult practices and realistic trees and animals. Sacred grove will be the theme my solo exhibition in Helsinki next spring. Stay tuned!
On the foreground Springtime Witch (2016) – mouthblown glass, Graal technique, made in Riihimäki, Finland.
Sketchbook revelations
It’s probably no surprise that I draw constantly and I possess several sketchbooks. I process thoughts by drawing, and not all of my drawings are ambitious or finished. Now that I’m planning art pieces for next year’s exhibitions, so I decided to have a look into my sketchbooks, so here are some samplings!
I apologize the ungraceful copyright texts, but I have encountered a company selling my pics as prints without my permission… So these drawings are here for you to look, comment, get inspired, share on-line or to ask my services as an illustrator -not to print and use commercially.
The first drawing Kuolemankukka has to do with human’s and nature’s relationship and way we poison our surroundings and ourselves. The second drawing was inspired by The Rite of Spring -the ballet, where dancers make expressive mad jumps. The third drawing can be titled as Housewarming party and the last drawing… well it’s just about the great feeling of Disbelief.
Ella Varvio 