Lasinpuhallus – 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

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.

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.