Finnish glass – Ella Varvio

Winter Art Market

During the turn of the year I have few of my artworks at Winter Art Market at Gumbostrand Konst & Form, a lovely gallery near the sea, in Sipoo not far from Helsinki. For example Okapi is there looking for a new home :

*Okapi* 2022, inspired by a visit to Bronx zoo

In 2023 I will continue with the super interesting PhotonArt project which I explained a bit in my previous post. I will be the artist in the team that explores colourants for glass.

Exhibition wise next year will bring up a group exhibition in Germany and a solo exhibition in my hometown Tampere, Finland. The latter presents the art that I am making as part of PhotonArt project. Galleria Himmelblau in old industrial buildings of Finlayson factory will host my exhibition at the end of 2023.

In Germany, Glass Museum Gernheim will present an extensive exhibition of contemporary engraved glass, proud to be part of that! The engraving exhibition will be there 19.3.-9.9.2022.

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

Glass exhibition in Zwiesel, Germany 25.7.-3.10.2021

I am honored to be part of international glass art exhibition in Germany – the exhibition is titled Caution! Fragile! – Achtung! Zerbrechlich! in German. It shows different aspects to glass craft and how the tradition is changing. Exhibition takes place at Waldmuseum Zwiesel, and the city itself has very long tradition in glassmaking.

Happenings ahead

As you well know, due to the changing situation across the globe – the dates of my exhibitions may change. Here’s though a list of what’s ahead if all goes well.

– Finnish Glass Lives 8, The Finnish Glass Museum, 14.2.-19.4.2020 CLOSED FOR NOW

– Art Breda, Art Gallery Rozendaal’s stand, Breda, Netherlands 5-13.9.2020

– Back on Tour -Modern European Glass Engraving, Coburg, Germany 8.5.-8.11.2020

– Gumbostrand Konst & Form, glass art exhibition, Sipoo, Finland 13.11.2020-17.1.2021

Forest Meadow – unique art pieces made in Nuutajärvi, Finland 2019. Photo : Otto Ojala

Exhibition open at Art Gallery Rozendaal

Exhibition of new Finnish glass is now open in Netherlends! Me and my colleague Elina Salonen traveled to Low countries a week back, to set up the exhibition and attend in the opening at beautiful Art Gallery Rozendaal. The gallery is located in Montfort, Limburg, in southern corner of Netherlands, near both Belgian and German border. I was very impressed of the modern gallery building with views to the surrounding woods – our glass art fits here perfectly!

Festive Month Exhibition :
Finnish Glass Art & Humoristic Hyperrealism

Art Gallery Rozendaal
Rozendaal 10
6065 NE Montfort

Open Saturdays and Sundays 11:00-17:00 and via appointment with the gallery

Colour!

In search of a perfect yellow or a perfect purple? I’m excited from a recent cooperation with Tampere University on glass colours. Together with the university we designed and tested colours for glass – and some of the colours will hopefully be suitable for my future artworks.

Read the article from University’s website, available both in English and Finnish :

https://www.tuni.fi/unit-magazine/en/articles/search-perfect-yellow-glass-scientist-and-glass-artist-join-forces-develop-new-glass

https://www.tuni.fi/unit-magazine/artikkelit/tahtaimessa-taydellinen-keltainen-lasitutkija-ja-taiteilija-kehittavat-yhdessa-uusia

Voipaala -viimeinen viikko

Voipaalan Herkkyyskausi -näyttelyn viimeinen viikko alkaa nyt! Tässä muutama kuva, kuvaajana Ina Jaakkola.

Some pictures from Voipaala exhibition, last week to go! Photo credits: Ina Jaakkola

Herkkyyskausi

Voipaalan taidekeskuksen Herkkyyskausi -näyttely on auki 5.11. asti. Näyttelyssä on teoksia Carita Ahlqvistilta, Ella Varviolta, Katri Heinäseltä, Sampsa Indréniltä ja Leena Illukkalta -esillä on monenkirjavia tekniikoita ja materiaaleja, pellavasta tussipiirrokseen ja lasista kirjontaan. Taidekeskus Sääksmäellä on auki ti-pe 11-17, la-su 12-18. Tervetuloa!
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Herkkyyskausi is Voipaala Art Center’s fall exhibition, displaying interesting variety of different materials and techniques from a bunch of artists: Artists: Carita Ahlqvist, Ella Varvio, Katri Heinänen, Sampsa Indrén, Leena Illukka. The exhibition is open until 5.11.

Voipaala manor house, now a place for art exhibitions, Sääksmäki, Finland

Also worth of visiting is the historic hill fortress of Rapola, just beside Voipaala art center. The hill itself has been formed during ice age, and it was turned into fortress in Viking Age or even earlier… So if you’re into hiking, history and arts, definetaly recommend visiting Voipaala Art Center and Rapola hill fort. Here’s a view from the hill:

Busy September!

Sacred Trees 2017, unique glass artworks, featured at Voipaala exhibition

This is a busy month indeed, my art and design items are going to be featured in various events in Finland and abroad:

Signals -exhibition at Habitare Fair, Helsinki, Finland 13-17.9. Signals trend exhibition focuses on the future trends and weak signals of interiors, living, lifestyle and design. The phenomena are mirrored through larger megatrends and societal changes. Signals is curated by Susanna Björklund and her team, and it is part of Ahead!, the design area of Habitare.

Artworks and design featured in Signals exhibition (click for larger image):

Carpe Diem -art piece

Memento Mori -art piece

Nemeton -vase

Simasuu -recycled glass tumblers

Herkkyyskausi, Voipaala Art Center, Finland 24.9.-5.11. Carita Ahlqvist, Sampsa Indren, Leena Lillukka, Marianna Piepponen ja Ella Varvio

Bor és kézműves -gallery, Budapest, Hungary 22-24.9. Contemporary glass art by Ella Varvio and Laura Aalto-Setälä. The artworks were made at glass art workshop in Bárdudvarnok, Hungary. The exhibition is part of Eleven Ősz a Bartókon -festival with the theme Finland100. The exhibition is at Bartók Béla u. 8 open 10am-6pm.

Scandinavian Glass – Starting All Over, The Glass Factory, Boda, Sweden 30.9.-29.10. The exhibition shows the innovative trends in the handmade Nordic glass right now, for example in interactive smart glass, innovative project-based forms of cooperation, product development and business models.

Bárdudvarnok

Sulholla on suden hampaat 2017 – made in symposium in Bardudvarnok, Hungary

Few pictures from the glass studio – Nemzetközi Üveg Alkotótelep – in Bárdudvarnok, Hungary. Last week was very intensive, many thanks for the organizers, participants and glassblower-artist James Carcass for helping to realize new Graals. The artworks by me and Laura Aalto-Setälä will exhibited at Bor és kézműves -gallery in Budapest during Finnish festival on 22-24.9.

And this Sunday, 27.8. there is Designtori in Tampere. Some glass art can be found at Galleria Rajatila’s exhibition at the fair in Tullikamari 11am-6pm. Welcome!