press clips

"Karin Westman and Håkan Blomqvist are partners in life and in work. With backgrounds in wood- and textile they have found a common element in glass. They create the objects together, revealing to no one who created what. The technique is called fusing. I associate the glass' geometric decor with Native American culture. An air of folk-art atmosphere rests over the couple's collection. The square plates with upward folded edges have, for example, a lot in common with Amish quilts, not to mention the wonderful wolfshamans. In these glass pictures with angelic looking wolfs surrounded by flower vines, Sweden's own allmoge - folkloric-culture feels very close. It is exquisite, fresh and innovative."

Eva Josephson, Södermanlands Nyheter

" They play with form and color in an unusual way. The coloring of the very small, rectangular candlesticks is unlike anything else seen in swedish glass. It resembles car enamel in a big parking lot."

Tina Jeppsson, Barometern Kalmar

" Primitive cultures make an imprint"

" The oblong glass faces spontaneously carry ones thoughts to Easter Islands extraordinary statues. Other ones resemble more traditional african masks. The winged totem-poles breathe indian shamanism and the cave-painted adorned memorial stones seem interwined with Celtic mythology."

Morgan Schmidt, Nya Wermlandstidningen

"Karin Westman and Håkan Blomqvst live and work together, and have their own studio in the village of Högboda near Karlstad in the county of Värmland, Sweden. They have, from their many trips around the world, brought home influences from different cultures like, for example, Thailand, Malaysia and Bali. You can find radiant, colorful and decorative glass sculptures, plates, candle lanterns and chandeliers, but also the calm, cool Nordic color tones. The wolf-shaman is one of the symbols Westman - Blomqvist are using in their art. In the county of Varmland the debate over the destiny of the wolf is still heated - "The wolf has its place in nature", according to Håkan Blomqvist. "

Britt Yngveson, Sydsvenskan Malmö

" The exhibition includes the Värmland wolf; a winged, mythological being. The wolf bares its teeth in show fight, and reminds one of a shaman or a spirit. Westman-Blomqvist glass is full of sparkling colors, seemingly influenced by both carneval time and indian myths."

Karin Asmundsson, Ostan Kalmar