Minna Tuohisto-Kokko

Glass sculptor

©Juuso Lahtinen

©Minna Tuohisto-Kokko

©Juuso Lahtinen

Making waves in Finnish glass

Minna's deep ideas and thoughts are expressed in glass
She is known for innovations in glass mosaics
She is skilled in coldworking techniques

With a graphic eye and love of Finnish nature, Minna Tuohisto-Kokko is one of the very few glass artists working in Finland. She had long dreamed of becoming a glassblowing artist, but came up against a lack of local educational opportunities. Later, she found her passion for cold glass by following a master artisan, Mary Jane Gregory, who brought the technique to the Finnish glass scene for the first time. Minna is inspired by the colours and possibilities that glass can offer. During her long career she has had multiple international exhibitions and has represented Finnish art with her work in Finland and abroad. Currently, she is making waves in the glass mosaic scene with her new approaches and techniques.

Interview

©Jussi Tuohisto-Kokko

©Juuso Lahtinen

Why glass?: The first time I came into contact with glass it frightened me, but at the same time it mesmerised me with its colours, structure and fragility. Some people can watch the aurora lights or fire for a long period, but for me it’s glass, it just enchants me with its liveliness under different lights.
From where do you gather inspiration?: Colours! Often colours spark the inspiration for my work and usually I have had very colourful works that spark a conversation. I’m also inspired by nature and human life, especially the taboo side of human life that is rarely talked about, such as death, sorrow and loss.
What do you specialise in?: Lead glass techniques and stained glass windows created on lead rails, which are rare skills to possess in Finland. In recent years I've also created modern glass mosaics, a different skill to traditional mosaic techniques, as I cut the glass myself and I am not using ready made components.
Is your craft in danger?: Yes. Some of the materials I use are becoming scarce here in Finland and I have to search for them abroad, but even abroad there are not many manufacturers left. Also, using lead as a material is being prohibited by law to obtain a greener footprint in Finland, which has led to a decrease in the import of certain materials.

Minna Tuohisto-Kokko is an expert artisan: she began her career in 1989