Lantern Design!

In Finland people just do.

After a strenuous two weeks of Lantern building and Fire Sculpture Workshops I have come to realise that no matter the weather, if its in the name of art, an artist will do it! Especially in Lapland!

For the past two weeks a group of exchange students and some Finns designed, prepared made and burnt their work!

Being part of this group has been the most stressful time I have had here. I cannot lie and say it was all flowers and sunshine! It was more like hard work and snow!

WEEK 1:

Welcome to the workshop

After a week of quick planning and getting into small groups, Lantern design had gotten into full swing. We were told to design lanterns that would be displayed at the annual River Lights event in Rovaniemi on the 6th of November. We were told only a few things. The lanterns would be made of wood, paper and thin material. We would have all materials supplied for us and our theme was fishing equipment.

Research, models and discussion

All hands on! After being split into a group with two other people, we quickly agreed on the idea of making a fishing net in which we would put fish as if they had been caught.

The skeleton. 1/3 done!

After creating the outer skeleton it was time to wrap the sculpture in the material. Luckily we were inside, it was getting cold out and the rain was also paying us a visit.

hard at work

It turned out that it takes two people to cover a structure properlly in material..team work all the way!

Kiitos! (Thank you in Finnish)

Once we had finally covered all of the constructions (not the easiest of shapes might I add!!, with the material and paper, it was time for the making of operation mass production fish to begin! Luckily some friends decided that cutting out fish was a fun experience! More hands make light work!

"If I had a hammer.."

Although Lantern building was a challenge we still had Fire Sculpture to look forward to and that would be outside!