Milla Vaahtera / Mushroom No. 22

”Glass is like me, spontaneous and organic.

The creative process of joining methods of art to traditional areas of craft is the most important thing to me in my work. Traditionally craft has been an area where professionals avoid failure. Lack of failure makes them good. I’m revolutionary in embracing failure in the craft process. I always find new techniques via failure. Failure is not opposite to success, it’s a necessary part of it. When I find the flow of “not giving a shit” in my work, I find freedom and fun, and achieve the best work. Embracing failure shuts up the critical comments in my head and I’m liberated. I’m inspired by everything and find influences all around me. I find leaving some tool marks to the brass and “the mistakes” refreshing. With glass, the pieces where you could see the moment of melt in the final work are always my favourites. And I felt that now I work in dialogue with glass. I learned to use improvisation at the moment to maintain the wild nature of glass.”