Renata Schirm

Glassblower

©Stilleben

A glassblower's rebellion

Renata is an innovator, constantly experimenting with different materials
She prefers undertaking large-scale glass projects
She considers glass to be philosophical

Budapest-born glassblower Renata Jakowleff came to study at the University of Art and Design in Helsinki. That made her bilingual. In Hungary, she thinks in Hungarian, in Finland the voice in her head speaks Finnish. She considers herself a rebel and a restless soul. She revels in the solitude of the craftswoman’s life. Even when studying she worked alone, guided by the material of glass, trying to understand its mesmerising qualities. At first, all liquid materials inspired her, then glass and its dialectic nature won her over gradually. For her, the creative process offers a contrast to modern life: blowing glass is intensive and meditative, interruption is not possible.

Interview

©Katja Hagelstam

©Juha Tormala

Which techniques have you mastered?: I have developed many techniques. One has been applied to concrete; it is now patented and usable on an industrial scale. What I master is alternative thinking. The real question is the potential that lies in the material and its behaviour.
From where do you draw your inspiration?: From the material. Glass is workable in both its molten and annealed stage. Its optical qualities and ability to adopt tonal colours provide endless inspiration. Its philosophical qualities also interest me, how it exists optically, physically and conceptually.
How does tradition inform your work?: I listen to the material and create the subjects it suggests, instead of the other way round. Without knowing tradition, I might follow existing ideas. But I try to avoid taking the same route as someone has before. Tradition is a source of technical knowledge, a database.
Is your craft considered endangered?: Awareness of its value is rising. But people don’t understand how much effort it requires. Working glass is so energy-consuming and it depends on machinery. Mastering the blowing technique takes a lifetime, so this limits its appeal.

Renata Schirm is an expert artisan: she began her career in 2005