Terhi Tolvanen available works

Exhibitions

As one of very earliest work by Terhi Tolvanen means a lot to artist. There are group of three, slightly similar brooches each called Picknick Branch. Two of them went to the private collector and you also can find in book: Finnish Jewelry published by Design Museum in Helsinki. Gallery GAo ShAn has the last piece available.

“ In this group are three, slightly similar brooches each called Picknick Branch: they are actual branches partly covered with the smallest tiles imaginableTheir name makes a reference to the brightly coloured tablecloths that are often used for picnicking in the countryside. However, the meticulous protection of the wood could bear less carefree tidings: it suggests concern for the welfare of the tree, while the tiles themselves, with the inevitable association with laboratories, might even imply serious ailments.

These three pieces provide a remarkable illustration of the strange twists an artist can experience in a creative process. Originally it was Tolvanen's dream to cover a real tree with tiles, but this idea proved to be much too ambitious and eventually she worked it out in a big wall drawing. With all the know-how of the EKWC at hand she then ventured into making miniature tiles for brooches, but once again it was not possible to live up to the standards she deemed necessaryFinally a toy shop had to provide the solution. There was one flaw though: their tiny tiles lacked slanting sidesso each and every one had to be adaptedIt is a fascinating thought that an artistic impulse which originated in the challenges put forward by the ceramic work centre led to such an unexpected process of realization

All the jewellery pieces made in Den Bosch were, like the Picknick Branches, as poetic as they were intangible. Still founded in the vernacular of flora, they had gained in expressiveness: becoming suggestive without transmitting clear-cut statements. Tolvanen's abilities to tell tales with her work had reached a new level.” - Reference Book “Reinventing Nature”

“ The collection Making Malachite is about stone and wearing stone. The stone in it’s rough form, in mineral form, not cut, not worked. The necklace Making Malachite gave the name to the whole collection.

Collecting stones and minerals has become over the years for me a real and serious passion. It is real treasure hunting. The most beautiful and interesting mineral formations are rareties and can be extremely pricy. The stone collectors are waiting for new findings, like an art collector is waiting for new work from his favorite artist. I am collecting for my work. My stone collection end up in my jewelry pieces. My choise of the stones is not about their value but about their visual-conseptual qualities; the shape, the colour and something that awakes the inspiration for the future pieces….

When playing with the idea of wearability I decided to make some stone in wood. Otherwise it would not be possible to wear these stones in this size.

Also my malachite piece would be impossible to wear in real stone. It is a play between artficial and natural. The necklace is a research/dive in the pattern of the stone beeing so regular that is seems an artficial pattern. My imitation malachite is made out of painted wood. It was a slow process where every day the looks of the piece were changing depending on the colours painted. Slowly the malachite was born” - by Terhi Tolvanen

“ The earrings Pyrite Construction are referring to the the Making Malachite collection which is about stone, wearing stone and imitation stone. The earrings are an imitation of pyrite which in it´s most simple form is a perfect cube. The real pyrite would be much too heavy to wear.  

Collecting stones and minerals has become over the years for me a real and serious passion. It is real treasure hunting. The most beautiful and interesting mineral formations are rareties and can be extremely pricy. The stone collectors are waiting for new findings, like an art collector is waiting for new work from his favorite artist. I am collecting for my work. These different minerals and stones end up being part of my jewelry pieces. My choise of the stones is not about their value but about their qualities; the shape, the colour and something that awakes the inspiration for the future pieces.” - by Terhi Tolvanen

Brooch Tamed and the rings Blue Moons and Eclipse from the collection Roots 2019

For the Roots collection I wanted to make autobiographic work. The collection is about my roots. I had been meditating thoughts about home, belonging, immigration or maybe rather ex-pat life, one´s personal space and what it means to be an artist. My roots and my path. That is where I get my inspiration. That is where my esthetical values come from. - by Terhi Tolvanen