Finnish glass art – Ella Varvio

Galleria Himmelblau 9.12.2023-4.2.2024

Update : the exhibition is extended until 4th of February, meet the artist event is held on Sunday 7th of Janury 1-3pm, welcome!

Invitation to the exhibition & opening reception : 9th of December 4-7pm

English version later :

Tervetuloa näyttelyyni Galleria Himmelblaulla 9.12.2023-7.1.2024!
Avajaisia vietetään lauantaina 9.12. klo 16-19.

Ella Varvio : Tuonpuoleisen värejä
Galleria Himmelblau, Finlaysoninkuja 9, Finlaysonin alue, Tampere
Galleria avoinna ke-pe 11-18, la-su 12-16. Suljettu ma, ti ja juhlapyhät.

Tuonpuoleisen värejä tuo Galleria Himmelblaun Puuvilla-saliin Ella Varvion tarinallista lasitaidetta. Teokset ovat saaneet innoituksensa vanhan kiinalaisen keramiikan väreistä ja uskomuksista. Lasiin on piirtynyt tuonpuoleisen ratsuja ja teosten valmistukseen on käytetty perinteisiä käsityötekniikoita kuten lasinpuhallusta ja kaiverrusta. Näyttelyssä on myös linkki uuteen lasitutkimukseen, sillä esillä on Tampereen yliopiston fotoniikan laboratorion kanssa toteutettua väritutkimusta. Fotoniikka eli valotiede tutkii lasia valona läpäisevänä aineena, monialaisessa PhotonArt hankkeessa selvitettiin kiinalaisen keramiikan lasitteiden värejä ja luotiin niiden pohjalta lasinpuhallukseen soveltuvia lasivärireseptejä.

Näyttelyä ja PhotonArt -hanketta on tukenut Suomen Kulttuurirahaston Pirkanmaan Rahasto.

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Welcome to my exhibition at Galleria Himmelblau 9.12.2023-7.1.2024! The vernissage is held on Saturday 9th of December at 4-7pm

Ella Varvio : Colours of the Afterlife. Galleria Himmelblau, Finlaysoninkuja 9, Finlayson historical district, Tampere, Finland

Gallery open Wed-Fri 11-18, Sat-Sun 12-16. Closed Mon-Tue and on public holidays. Free admission.

Colours of the Afterlife brings Ella Varvio’s glass art to Galleria Himmelblau. The artworks are inspired by colours and subjects of ancient Chinese ceramics. Varvio’s imagery is often narrative and her art pieces are made using traditional craft techniques such as glassblowing and engraving. Moreover the exhibition has a link to new glass research as there is a section about colour research conducted together with Tampere University Photonics Laboratory. Photonics is the science of light and it studies glass as a material that transmits light. In the multidisciplinary PhotonArt project colours of old Chinese glazes were analyzed to create new glass materials.

The exhibition and PhotonArt project is supported by Finnish Cultural Trust Pirkanmaa Regional Funds

Colour frenzy

Glowing hot neodymium purple glass in Nuutajärvi

This summer our PhotonArt project proceeded to the actual melting and blowing of coloured glasses. For this I had rented the Lasikomppania glass studio in Nuutajärvi and I was full of nervous excitement. Making glass is expensive and you’re never fully certain of the outcomes… Luckily all went very well!

Samples of PhotonArt -project’s coloured glasses for glassblowing

The colour recipes were designed by Tampere University Photonics Laboratory as part of PhotonArt -project that combines art and science. Our project leader Dr. Laeticia Petit is the professor of photonic glasses at Tampere University and her team researches glass as a tool to transport light. Photonic glasses have applications in optical fibers, lasers, optical amplifiers, multicolor displayers, just to cite a few.

In the PhotonArt project we have investigated colours of glass and glazes both from artists and scientists point of view. The project is supported by Finnish Cultural Trust Pirkanmaa Regional Funds.

Hectic work in Lasikomppania studio, glassblowers Samuli Parkkinen and Jenni Sorsa in action

All the colours turned out super nice and were suitable for glassblowing. The days at the studio were hectic and hard work as we produced new artworks. Many thanks to my gaffers and studio staff : Jenni Sorsa, Samuli Parkkinen and Alge Julija.

Some of the shapes are inspired by ancient Chinese vessels and vases. These new artworks are not yet ready as they need coldworking and engraving. I’m however, already very pleased with how they turned out.

The final results can be seen in Tampere at the end of this year. Stay tuned, still some months to go but lots to do!

Galleria Himmelblau, Tampere, Finland 9.12.2023-7.1.2024

Engraved glass art at Glass Museum Gernheim 19.03. – 09.09.2023

Glass Museum Gernheim in Germany is hosting an exhibition of contemporary glass engraving art from allover Europe. The show wants to highlight how old craft skills can turn into contemporary art. Exhibition is called Gravur on Tour and it’s curated by the museum and a network of European glass engravers. I am proud to be part of the exhibition with three artworks. Exhibition opens 19th of March and continues until 9th of September 2023.

*Horses I will ride in the afterlife*, 2022 – artworks that I have send to Gernheim, Germany

Gravur on Tour: Glashütte Gernheim 2023
19.03. – 09.09.2023
LWL-Museum Gernheim Glassworks
Gernheim 12, Petershagen, Germany
Museum open from Tuesday to Sunday 10-18

https://glashuette-gernheim.lwl.org/en/

Welcome to the new age of glass – exhibition and talk at Institut français de Finlande

I am having a mini-exhibition of my glass artworks and samples from PhotonArt project at the French Institute in Helsinki 1-17.6.2022. Moreover the institute is organizing a Café scientifique talk around the new era of glass. Talk is held on 16th of June, glass scientists Laeticia Petit and Jonathan Massera – and glass artist yours truly – are talking about past, presence and future of glass!

More info and registration to the event :

Welcome to the new age of glass

My glass artworks, Summer Night and Trot, by the window at the French Institute’s library, on Yrjönkatu central Helsinki

Human – stories in glass 12.2.-10.4.2022

*Erlkönig* is one of my art pieces installed with light at Voipaala Art Centre

Voipaala Art Centre near Valkeakoski, Finland is hosting a group exhibition of contemporary Finnish glass art. Exhibition is open 11am – 5 pm from 12th February until 10th April 2022. More info of the exhibition and it’s artists can be found here :

https://voipaala.valkeakoski.fi/en/news/glass-art-exhibition/

Voipaala Art Centre is in an old mansion near Sääksmäki and Rapola hill fortress, unique and historic surrounding!

Sculpting with fire

Here are some photos from my previous hot shop session in Nuutajärvi. Many thanks to gaffers Jenni Sorsa and Matti Vilppula for the most productive day. Such a joy to see how ideas come to life and my drawings get transformed into glass sculptures.

These new pieces, quite a striking collection of them, will be on show at Gumbostrand Konst & Form, art center in Sipoo, Finland from 13th of November onward.

Exhibition of engraved glass in Germany 8.5.-8.11.2020

The artist herself and “Snake Orgy”, unique Graal glass piece with engraving. Photo : Otto Ojala

Gravur – Back on tour – presents new European glass engraving art. I am proud to be part of the show with two of my art pieces. The exhibition is held at European Museum of Modern Glass, Rödental, Germany.

Here’s a very nice video from the exhibition (in German, but you can enjoy the visuals anyway) :

Art Gallery Rozendaal 16.11.-22.12.2019

I am excited to be visiting Netherlands after a while! My and Elina Salonen’s glass art are part of Art Gallery Rozendaal‘s Festive Month Exhibition. The exhibition opens mid November and goes on until 22nd of December. Me and Elina are bringing a set of nature inspired glass art to the show, we both work with delicate motifs on unique glass sculptures. Ýou are most welcome to see our work at the exhibition!

The gallery is located in southern tip of Netherlands, in a town called Montfort in Limburg province, near both Belgian and German border. Art Gallery Rozendaal is open on Saturdays and Sundays, 11am to 5 pm, and also via appointments.

Festive Month Exhibition :
Finnish Glass Art & Humoristic Hyperrealism

Art Gallery Rozendaal
Rozendaal 10
6065 NE Montfort

Open Saturdays and Sundays 11:00-17:00

Meet you at Designtori 9-10.12.

Designtori, Tampere is held this weekend, my glass art and design are part of Galleria Rajatila’s sales exhibition. Designtori is open Saturday and Sunday 11am-5pm, free entrance, welcome! Here’s pictures of works I’ve selected for the exhibition /// Viikonloppuna tavataan Designtorilla Tampereella! Designtori on Tullikamarilla la&su klo 11-17, vapaa pääsy. Teoksiani ja tuotteitani mukana Rajataiteen myyntinäyttelyssä, tässä muutama niistä: