• Elin Isaksson creates contemporary glass works that capture movement and light. Working from her studio in Dunblane, Scotland, she crafts...
    Available
    Elin Isaksson creates contemporary glass works that capture movement and light. Working from her studio in Dunblane, Scotland, she crafts hand-blown and cast glass vessels that challenge conventional ideas about form, sustainability, and the frozen moment. Each piece invites contemplation, celebrating the inherent energy of molten glass transformed into elegant, tactile objects.
     

    What draws us to Elin's work is its quiet mastery. Her background training at Sweden's renowned Orrefors Glass School instilled a love for unfussy, minimalist forms, a hallmark of Scandinavian design. Yet her pieces possess an organic vitality that feels entirely contemporary. These are works that honour ancient glassmaking traditions whilst embracing innovation: deliberately preserving the wavy gathering line, stretching forms whilst hot, incorporating recycled glass fragments. This emphasis on capturing the material's inherent energy sits at the heart of Elin's artistic practice, prompting viewers to see glass not as static object but as frozen motion: a moment of fluidity suspended in time.

    • Elin Isaksson, Large Dew Drop (Black and Silver)
      Elin Isaksson, Large Dew Drop (Black and Silver)
      Enquire
    • Elin Isaksson, Rock Vase III (White/Black/Silver)
      Elin Isaksson, Rock Vase III (White/Black/Silver)
      Available
      Elin Isaksson, Rock Vase III (White/Black/Silver)
      £ 340.00
    • Elin Isaksson, Small Dew Drop (Black and Silver)
      Elin Isaksson, Small Dew Drop (Black and Silver)
      Available
      Elin Isaksson, Small Dew Drop (Black and Silver)
      £ 165.00

  • What Makes Elin Isaksson's Work Unique

    Elin's practice is defined by the interplay between technical precision and material spontaneity. Working primarily with hot glass, she employs traditional freehand glassblowing techniques honed over 25 years to create contemporary designs. She produces bespoke hand-blown and cast glass works, specialising in elegant vessel forms, sculptures, and design objects known for their simple yet tactile forms and subtle blended colour palettes.

     

    The scale of Elin's work varies from intimate vessels to larger sculptural pieces. Each relates to light and space in distinctive ways, sized to be encountered in domestic settings where they can transform the quality of natural illumination. The matte and glossy surface contrasts, the subtle colour transitions, and the deliberate preservation of making marks all reveal the time and skill invested in each creation. Her transition from traditional Swedish training to a contemporary Scottish practice has brought a fresh perspective to studio glass, combining analytical craftsmanship with an intuitive understanding of material behaviour.

     

    Elin's commitment to sustainability distinguishes her work further. She experiments with reusing leftover glass (cullet) from her studio by melting it and incorporating it into new creations. In 2024, when commissioned to design trophies for the Scottish Album of the Year (SAY) Award, she utilised fragments of recycled coloured glass mixed with fresh molten glass to create sand-cast sculptural pieces—an innovative process that both reduced waste and produced uniquely beautiful results. This emphasis on sustainability, combined with deep respect for traditional craft techniques, defines Elin's distinctive approach to contemporary glass art.

  • "Elin's glass works ask us to reconsider our relationship with material, craft, and environmental responsibility. Her practice rewards close observation and invites collectors to appreciate the subtle complexities of form, surface, and light that emerge when ancient techniques meet contemporary concerns."
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  • Spotlighting Elin Isaksson at Graystone Gallery

    • We seek artists whose work demonstrates both technical excellence and conceptual rigour, and Elin exemplifies this balance. Her glass works occupy a distinctive space within contemporary Scottish craft: they're rooted in centuries-old Scandinavian traditions yet speak to modern sensibilities around sustainability, materiality, and the value of skilled making.

       

      Elin's approach to process resonates deeply with our curatorial philosophy. The deliberate nature of her practice, preserving gathering lines, freezing motion in glass, incorporating recycled materials, embodies values of craftsmanship and environmental care that we believe contemporary art should champion. Each piece carries the trace of human touch and material agency. Her works don't demand attention through complexity or colour; instead, they invite quiet engagement and reward sustained looking with discoveries of subtle beauty.

    • Since establishing her practice in Scotland, Elin has exhibited extensively, from the National Museum of Scotland to international showcases in London and Los Angeles, building a reputation for work that combines technical mastery with conceptual depth. Her 2024 selection for the Homo Faber Guide by the Michelangelo Foundation recognises excellence in craftsmanship, whilst her commission to design the SAY Award trophies brought national attention to her innovative approach.

  • Available to buy

    • Elin Isaksson, Rock Vase II
      Elin Isaksson, Rock Vase II
      Available
      Elin Isaksson, Rock Vase II
      £ 360.00
    • Elin Isaksson, Large Dew Drop (Black and Silver)
      Elin Isaksson, Large Dew Drop (Black and Silver)
      Enquire
    • Elin Isaksson, Rock Vase III (White/Black/Silver)
      Elin Isaksson, Rock Vase III (White/Black/Silver)
      Available
      Elin Isaksson, Rock Vase III (White/Black/Silver)
      £ 340.00
    • Elin Isaksson, Small Dew Drop (Black and Silver)
      Elin Isaksson, Small Dew Drop (Black and Silver)
      Available
      Elin Isaksson, Small Dew Drop (Black and Silver)
      £ 165.00
  • Elin's works suit collectors who appreciate the intersection of traditional craft and contemporary innovation. These are pieces designed for living...
    Photo credits: Shannon Tofts

    Elin's works suit collectors who appreciate the intersection of traditional craft and contemporary innovation. These are pieces designed for living spaces where natural light can reveal their qualities: a window ledge, a shelf with morning sun, a cabinet where they can be illuminated from within. The elegant forms and subtle colour palettes create beautiful moments of captured light, particularly in Scottish daylight with its distinctive quality.

     

  • With prices ranging from £165 to £360, Elin's glass works offer an opportunity to collect museum-quality contemporary glass by a...

    With prices ranging from £165 to £360, Elin's glass works offer an opportunity to collect museum-quality contemporary glass by a significant Scottish-based artist. Her vessel forms demonstrate the clean minimalism of Scandinavian training, unfussy shapes that celebrate material and proportion, whilst recent experimental pieces incorporating recycled glass show an artist continually evolving her practice.

     

    Each hand-blown or cast glass work is unique, shaped by the interplay between maker's intention and material behaviour. No two pieces are identical, the nature of working with molten glass ensures individual character in every form. For collectors interested in discovering more about Elin's practice or arranging a viewing, we welcome you to visit the gallery or contact us directly for personal guidance on selecting pieces that suit your space and collecting interests.