This unique series of free blown glass sculptures was born from a desire to experiment with a rich variety of colours. Alma Jantunen considers cacti to present the perfect forms to play with colour combinations and colouring techniques. Two assistants helped create different coloured glass, which Alma then incorporated into the body of the sculpture before shaping it. While these cacti are based on drawings, their unique characters were created during the making process.
Height 45 cm
© Johannes Rantasalo
© Johannes Rantasalo
© Alma Jantunen
© Johannes Rantasalo
© Alma Jantunen
Alma Jantunen
- Lasisirkus
- Glassblower
- Nuutajärvi, Finland
- Master Artisan
Contact
Finnish, English
Hours:
By appointment only
By appointment only
Phone:
+358 408332446
+358 408332446
© Johannes Rantasalo
A multi-skilled traditionalist
- • Alma studied in Finland and at the Pilchuck Glass School in the US
- • Murano glassmaster Pino Signoretto has been a big inspiration
- • She draws on traditional methods from Italian and Finnish masters
Alma Jantunen lives and works in the Nuutajärvi glass village, some 170 kilometres from Helsinki. In every sense of the word, she can be called multi-skilled. She specialises in colours, glass furnaces, glass melting and casting, and has mastered mould blowing, freehand blowing, glass sculpting and the incalmo and filigree techniques. No wonder her studio is called Lasisirkus (Glass Circus). Her wide palette of skills is a result of studies and work both at home and abroad. Traditional methods constitute the basis of her work, which is inspired by the material itself but also by nature, weather, fauna and flora, and even people and toys.
Read the full interviewWorks
Photo: © Alma Jantunen
Cactus group
Photo: © Alma Jantunen
Her Highness
Trees are a recurrent subject throughout much of Alma Jantunen’s work. She found this particular glass sculpture to be quite exceptional as the large base of the sculpture contrasts with its height: “Her Highness, Queen tree”.
Height 60 cm
Photo: © Alma Jantunen
Old Friend and Nasty Friend
These forms, inspired by the shape and colours of cacti, were free blown. Old Friend has a very smooth shape and a deep green colour. Nasty Friend is smaller and has elaborate pink flowers on top. Alma likes to use shapes and colours which make it possible to demonstrate how hot glass moves while it is worked. She enjoys making lively shapes and works with colours to bring the sculptures to life.
Height 65 cm
Height 30 cm
Photo: © Alma Jantunen
Trees
Alma has worked on bonsai-shaped trees over the past ten years. Different colours and shapes give them their own personality. Smooth sandblasting on the surface blurs colours, giving them a candy-like quality. Transparency gives light to some colours, while opaque colours accentuate the sculptures' forms.
Height 42 cm
Height 23 cm
Photo: © Alma Jantunen
Utu
Utu, meaning 'mist', was inspired by the forms and colours of a cactus. Alma likes to work with this subject, finding in cacti the perfect shapes with which to experiment with multiple colours and contrasts.
Height 46 cm
Width 21 cm
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