Illustrations in glass
- Peter’s work explores age-old human narratives of being
- For him, glass is like a piece of music
- His work reconsiders traditional techniques in new ways
Peter Hermansson’s journey into glassblowing started when he set foot in Pukebergs Glassworks, nestled in the Swedish city of Nybro, where he fell in love with the historical vibration. The imposing walls, the smell of propane, the radiating heat from industrial furnaces, and the stories shared by factory workers caught his imagination. Eager to learn more about glass, Peter enrolled in a two-year programme to acquire basic glassworking skills, followed by three and a half year as an apprentice at a Swedish master glassblower’s studio. However, it was not until 2012, during his first sold-out show called Dark Was The Night, that he made the shift to pursue a full-time career as a glass artist. Peter opened his own blowing studio in 2019, 13 STUDIO, in collaboration with his friend Bjørn Friborg. The workshop is located inside the glass factory of Målerås, an area with a strong history of glass making dating back to 1740 and which earned the name of 'kingdom of glass'.
Interview
- Why did you choose glass as a profession?
- I went from being a musician to learning to blow glass. It felt similar to learning a new instrument. I think the same synapses in the brain get activated when you play music and blow glass. The timing, the playing together in the band, the tonality, the groove, the swing and the beat, it all feels like a symphony.
- Do you master any specific techniques?
- For almost 20 years now, I have focused almost exclusively on two techniques: Graal and Ariel. I have researched and tried to redefine these techniques by building new tools, working with the colours in a different way. I can say I master these techniques, having worked with them so intensively for so many years, but of course, many things are still there to be explored.
- Could you walk us through your typical day?
- I spend most of my days in my atelier, sketching, exploring and making models. I start by taping and sand-blasting blanks in several rounds until I am finished. Once I have enough blanks, I go to my hot-shop in 13 STUDIO, and work there for a couple of days. Selected blanks are then blown towards becoming final pieces.
- What would you tell young glassblowers who are just starting out?
- My advice would be to hang around and work with people they like; learn the craft and find a mission. I would also like them to not doubt themselves. In my early days, I never doubted. During hard times, I just worked harder as doubt is not an ally. There is a saying from Batman which I really like and I think it could be useful to remember: “It's What You Do that Defines You”.
Peter Hermansson is an expert artisan: he began his career in 2005
Works
Where
Peter Hermansson
