Pioneers of glassmaking
- Monica and Philip won the Glass in Venice prize in 2017
- They have lived and worked in Switzerland, France and the UK
- They are pioneers in combining Swedish and Italian cutting techniques
For Switzerland-born Monica Guggisberg and American Philip Baldwin, glass was to provide not only a new profession but a lasting partnership, too. They met in Sweden in 1979, when both chose to study at the Orrefors factory glass school. They swiftly started working together before moving to Switzerland to open their own studio in 1982. Initially making functional objects, they have collaborated with some of the biggest names in glass, including Venini and Rosenthal, but now focus mainly on artistic work. Self-confessed nomads – a theme reflected in their recent Boats series – they have lived and worked all over Europe and currently reside in Wales, UK.
Interview
- How do you benefit from working as a pair?
- We bounce ideas off each other. Sometimes you don’t know where the original idea starts because it goes back and forth. When we first started we could say "this is a Philip piece", or "this is a Monica piece", but over the years it all morphed. Teamwork definitely nourishes us.
- Is it important to pass on your skills to apprentices?
- Yes, and to have interaction with young people, their energy; everybody benefits from each other. We definitely like the enthusiasm of people who want to learn. We have stayed more or less in touch with all of our assistants since our first in around 1986.
- How does working for glass manufacturers influence you?
- When you work for a company it tends to be a compromise. You come with an idea and along the way you have to adapt it to take into consideration the demands and the technical possibilities of the factory and the craftspeople. It’s always a dialogue.
- What do you love most about glassmaking?
- You always want to go forward and discover new things. I think we would be bored to tears if we didn’t have the challenge of creating. We have very high standards so it’s always nice to keep striving for better and increase the quality of what you are trying to achieve.
Philip Baldwin & Monica Guggisberg are master artisans: they began their career in 1979 and they started teaching in 1983
Where
Philip Baldwin & Monica Guggisberg
