Ferrán Collado

Glassblower

©Xavi Cantero

Inherited glass craftsmanship

In 2015, Ferrán was awarded master artisan by the President of Generalitat de Catalunya
His great-grandfather opened the family workshop in 1920
He is inspired by nature and the variety of colour hues

Belonging to the fourth generation in a family of glass makers, your path could very much be defined from birth. This is the case of Ferrán Collado, proud heir to a family tradition that dates back to 1920. He grew up living around glass creations, to the point that he does not remember which was the first piece he made himself. After an apprenticeship with his family members, Ferrán set to train in different workshops, in Spain and abroad, in Italy, the United States and Finland. He mastered and perfected his glass blowing, carving and silvering skills there. Ferrán considers himself a versatile and self-taught craftsman-artist, enthralled by the different textures of glass. Besides his own creations, he closely collaborates with designers and artists in search of capable hands to materialise their ideas.

Interview

©Xavi Cantero

©Xavi Cantero

Would you say that glass is in your DNA?: Indeed! I was born and raised in a family of glass makers in Barcelona, following the Catalan glass tradition. I am proud to have learned from my father and grandfather and I have experienced this material for as long as I can remember.
What makes working with glass so special?: When you make a contemporary piece using a traditional technique you have achieved something remarkable. Every piece I blow has its own identity and this is really special. As a material glass combines fragility on one end and strength on the other.
Could you describe the other aspect of your craft in which you restore mirrors?: I specialise in Venetian and stained mirrors and restoring them requires a very complex technique to bring them back to their original splendor. In this side of my work I am very aware that I am dealing with works of art, and for this reason I treat them with the utmost care.
Do you have any opportunities to interact with the public?: Vidres Collado has a transportable glass blowing furnace that we display in fairs, parties or events carrying out glass blowing demonstrations, creating a rewarding connection both with the public and our territory.

Ferrán Collado is a master artisan: he began his career in 1998 and he started teaching in 2005