Summer 2011 in Finland

In the process photographs below, you can see these flat piece of Bullseye glass turn into these three dimensional vessel forms as Anu Penttinen and I continue to perfect our rollup technique.

Anu Penttinen Bullseye Roll-up (Part 4) 

Anu Penttinen Bullseye Roll-up (Part 3)

Anu Penttinen Bullseye Roll-up (Part2)

 Anu Penttinen Bullseye Roll-up (Part1)

I arrived in Finland on Thursday afternoon, local time, and after 21 hours of travelling it would be an understatement to say that I was tired.  However, seeing my friends Lea Swantz and Anu Penttinen was exhilerating.  A nice meal and a few drinks kept me awake just enough longer to allow me to get to sleep at a normal time and expedite my transfer to the local time zone.

Anu’s workshop is now connected to a fabulous little cafe which also doubles as a very comfortable showroom for here exquisite designs.  These are pictures of both her workshop and her new cafe. (Which is just down stairs from my living quarters for the next 6 weeks)

Anu and I were able to brainstorm a little today and  we are both excited about testing some possibilities with some roll-ups made of Bullseye Glass.  We are awiting the completion of some equipment that we’ll need for the process, but should be in the studio running some tests this coming week.

I’m so excited about leaving for Finland in 3 days, that I decided to try my hand a making Pulla, a Finnish bread similar to coffee bread.  Here’s my successful attempt as well as the recipe I used. Ingredients 2 cups milk 1/2 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C) 1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast 1 cup white sugar 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon ground cardamom 4 eggs, beaten 9 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 cup butter, melted 1 egg, beaten 2 tablespoons white sugar Directions Warm the milk in a small saucepan until it bubbles, then remove from heat. Let cool until lukewarm. Dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Stir in the lukewarm milk, sugar, salt, cardamom, 4 eggs, and enough flour to make a batter (approximately 2 cups). Beat until the dough is smooth and elastic. Add about 3 cups of the flour and beat well; the dough should be smooth and glossy in appearance. Add the melted butter or margarine, and stir well. Beat again until the dough looks glossy. Stir in the remaining flour until the dough is stiff. Turn out of bowl onto a floured surface, cover with an inverted mixing bowl, and let rest for 15 minutes. Knead the dough until smooth and satiny. Place in a lightly greased mixing bowl, and turn the dough to grease the top. Cover with a clean dishtowel. Let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour. Punch down, and let rise again until almost doubled. Turn out again on to a floured surface, and divide into 3 parts. Divide each third into 3 again. Roll each piece into a 12 to 16 inch strip. Braid 3 strips into a loaf. You should get 3 large braided loaves. Lift the braids onto greased baking sheets. Let rise for 20 minutes. Brush each loaf with egg wash and sprinkle with sugar. Bake at 400 degrees F (205 degrees C) for 25 to 30 minutes. Check occasionally because the bottom burns easily.

I’m so excited about leaving for Finland in 3 days, that I decided to try my hand a making Pulla, a Finnish bread similar to coffee bread.  Here’s my successful attempt as well as the recipe I used.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups milk
  • 1/2 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
  • 1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
  • 4 eggs, beaten
  • 9 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup butter, melted
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 2 tablespoons white sugar

Directions

  1. Warm the milk in a small saucepan until it bubbles, then remove from heat. Let cool until lukewarm.
  2. Dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Stir in the lukewarm milk, sugar, salt, cardamom, 4 eggs, and enough flour to make a batter (approximately 2 cups). Beat until the dough is smooth and elastic. Add about 3 cups of the flour and beat well; the dough should be smooth and glossy in appearance. Add the melted butter or margarine, and stir well. Beat again until the dough looks glossy. Stir in the remaining flour until the dough is stiff.
  3. Turn out of bowl onto a floured surface, cover with an inverted mixing bowl, and let rest for 15 minutes. Knead the dough until smooth and satiny. Place in a lightly greased mixing bowl, and turn the dough to grease the top. Cover with a clean dishtowel. Let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour. Punch down, and let rise again until almost doubled.
  4. Turn out again on to a floured surface, and divide into 3 parts. Divide each third into 3 again. Roll each piece into a 12 to 16 inch strip. Braid 3 strips into a loaf. You should get 3 large braided loaves. Lift the braids onto greased baking sheets. Let rise for 20 minutes.
  5. Brush each loaf with egg wash and sprinkle with sugar.
  6. Bake at 400 degrees F (205 degrees C) for 25 to 30 minutes. Check occasionally because the bottom burns easily.

Summer 2011 in Finland

I will be spending 6 weeks in Finland’s Nuutajarvi Glass Village  working with designer Anu Penttinen.  I was fortunate enough to meet Anu in the summer of 2010, while teaching a 10 day workshop at Tavastia Vocational College, and am honored to get the opportunity to not only return to Nuutajarvi, but also to work with a designer of Anu’s caliber. 

I have received funding from the Metropolitan Contemporary Glass Art Group, which is a great group of glass lovers dedicated to supporting glass art and artists, to help with my travel expenses.  My trip will be detailed on this blog, with pictures and explanations of my trip, as often throughout the 6 weeks as I can.

I also hope to be stopping in to Lasismi in Riihimaki, and working with the artists and designers in some capacity throughout the duration of my stay in Finland.

I am very much looking forward to my time abroad, and in the studio with Anu!  I have some books and audio cd’s that I’ve been studying so that I can attempt to learn some Finnish before I return to beautiful Finland.

I arrive in Finland June 30, 2011 so check back…as I’ll be posting often.