Nanna Backhaus Brown & Andrew Brown

Glassblower

©Kristina Demant

A shared passion

Andrew and Nanna are a couple in art and life
Their signature techniques are Pastorelli and Battuto
They are famous for Glasskibe, the sculptures on Viking ships

Nanna Backhaus Brown & Andrew Brown both began their careers as glassblowers in the mid-1980s. Nanna served her apprenticeship at Arresø Glashytte and Andrew blew his first bubbles in Stourbridge School of Glass in England. They met in Brittany, France, where they worked at l’Atelier de Verre in St. Meloir. By then they had both studied as glassblowers for about four years. After their stay in France, they moved to Denmark and began their life together as professional glass artists, partners in life and art. In 1993, they opened their first glassblowing studio and shop, "Glassmedjen" in Frederiksværk and after 14 successful years they made their dream come true: to design and build a studio by the sea. In 2008, Backhaus Brown was born.

Interview

©Kristina Demant

©Kristina Demant

What’s your inspiration source?: Nanna: For me it is nature. It touches all my senses, and it’s an indispensable friend in the design process. Nature plays a vital role in my passion for playing with colours. The overall expression of my work is always clean, crisp and fully sympathetic with Nordic design traditions.
How do you combine your British roots with the Danish traditions?: Andrew: I try to reflect stories in much of my work, especially the stories and sagas of the Viking age; my fascination with this period is most likely the result of my British heritage combined with a life spent in Denmark. This results is "Glasskibe", sculptures made of glass and wood.
What’s your signature technique?: Nanna: Over the years, I have developed a love for the old Italian technique Pastorelli. This technique embraces strictness and minimalism as well as allowing me to show my playful side. My Pastorelli pieces are my trademark.
What is the Battuto technique?: Andrew: I have always been fascinated by a combination of hot glass and cold working. In recent years, I have concentrated on Battuto, which precisely embraces both work processes and allows me to immortalise the beautiful patterns I see when sunlight hits the surface of the sea outside my window.

Nanna Backhaus Brown & Andrew Brown are master artisans: they began their career in 1990 and they started teaching in 1992