Sunniva Bernhardsson

Tell us about yourself.

I have a long background within sculpture but started with glace in 2004 and has then worked with kiln casting, slumping lost wax, and pate de verre in my own Stockholm-based studio (Sweden). I am a social worker from the beginning but after studying at Stockholm University, Arts and Craft in Stockholm, I started an Art school for, children to teenagers and their educators in Botkyrka where 90 % comes from different countries. It was a project that continued for 10 years. It was fantastic to work through art is totally free to decide the content and technics in different cultural circumstances. After that worked at a culture center.

I have worked more and more with my own art and can now concentrate full time with that. I have been to several glass courses here in Sweden and the last years to Northlands Creative with Colin Reid and Silvia Levenson. This summer I went to learn more about core casting with Max Jacquard and Angela Twaites.

What draws you to the material you work with?

Glass gives me the opportunity to work with 3-dimensional objects from a variety of perspectives-from different visual relationships, but also in terms of social context. I find that the artwork is a process that opens new questions about rules in society and different ways of seeing identity and leads to new insights and new thoughts. It’s important to me to think of why and how a certain subject is suitable to be made in glass. More so glass portrays different kinds of outlooks on time, eternal, instant, still or vivid. Last but not least the play with transparent color and lights adds another dimension to the artworks.

What themes do you pursue in your work, and why have you chosen the processes that you use in your work?

I have worked with questions like “Who´s truth and Who are you”? With these themes, I want to see how one can express how you get influenced by culture rules/relations making people see things from different perspectives. That opens up for me and the viewer to discuss situations in society from new angels. I find much pleasure in portrait and Raku. I work a lot with lost wax and casting in different materials as ceramics, bronze, plaster, and glass.

What is your dream project?

I would love to go to Pilchuck for a kiln casting course and meeting other artists being in a crossroad of experimentation. I have a hearing problem needing someone that can be my extra ears that so it has been impossible for me to think it would be possible as non-artists aren’t allowed. My husband who´s not an artist has assisted med to go abroad for workshops and exhibitions. There I would like to see different approaches and work with portraits in kiln moulds in the hot shop expanding the possibilities for making other sizes and combined technics than is possible in only a kiln.

What is something about you that most people don’t know?

I would prefer artwork outdoors and in hospitals rather than make or being in an exhibition. Their people spend much time waiting and have a lot of time to reflect and be open to new situations. It is a good way to experience things for myself and everybody.

Why are you a member of GAS?

GAS is a global community that can transport ideas, methods and let people meet in different cultural environments. It’s the perfect way for all kind’s development.

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