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Lokal Creators / Paula Pääkkönen

Paula Pääkkönen is a glass artist and glassblower working in the Nuutajärvi Glass Village, where we visited her in the midst of an intensive work day to capture her practice and the glassblowing process.

Watch the Lokal Creators video about Paula Pääkkönen below for full story coverage, and learn more about the origins of her Assorted Flavours sculpture series.

Lokal Creators / Paula Pääkkönen

Paula Pääkkönen is a glass artist and glassblower working in the Nuutajärvi Glass Village, where we visited her in the midst of an intensive work day to capture her practice and the glassblowing process.

Watch the Lokal Creators video about Paula Pääkkönen below for full story coverage, and learn more about the origins of her Assorted Flavours sculpture series.

Glassblowing is a multi-phased process involving a lot of silent knowledge, technical skill, and support from other glassblowers during the process. The co-creation is in fact an aspect Paula appreciates in the whole process perhaps the most.

 

Paula uses glass as her primary material because it offers an element of challenge, while glassblowing techniques provide an endless source of inspiration. Her latest work explores the themes of childhood and memory.

 

“The inspiration for these works (ice cream shaped glass sculptures) came from childhood summer ice cream memories. The ones of cycling down a dirt road with a friend to buy ice cream from the local shop on a summer day. Only last year did I realise why those childhood memories have become so important. In 2017, when I made the first pieces, was a time when I was depressed. These childhood memories and the colours that I got to use in these works brought joy into my life.”

Paula says that at its best, glassblowing is like dancing. It feels just like a choreography, and to an outsider, even looks like it. One learns glassblowing only through observing and then doing suit, as well as discussion, and asking for advice from older colleagues.

 

 

“It is really important to be working in this village specifically in order to benefit from that silent knowledge. It is also important to me to continue the glassblowing tradition in my own generation. I do not know if I would have found artistry in myself, if it wasn’t through glass. It isn’t just a material with which to execute an idea. It actually fuels my creativity. I really like the fact that glass isn’t blown alone. The skill level of the team also elevates my chances of doing. Perhaps the communality of the glass world also stems from needing to be quite friendly so that others might bare with you.” 

Shop: Paula Pääkkönen’s Work

Explore: The Index