All Iittala Birds are hand-blown in Nuutajärvi, one of the two glass factories owned by the Iittala group in Finland. Mr Vigna first visited Nuutajärvi glass factory in 1998 when he came to teach at an international glass jewellery workshop there. The contacts laid down with Iittala at the time have now led to Iittala launching the Vigna collection of Iittala birds. Giorgio Vigna is proud of following in the footsteps of world renowned Finnish designers such as Timo Sarpaneva and Tapio Wirkkala. Many years ago they travelled to Murano in Venice to create designs in glass. Now it’s Mr Vigna’s turn to head North.

Craftsmen who create birds

When designing the birds, Giorgio Vigna follows in the old craft tradition still in use in both Murano and Nuutajärvi. Sketches are first made on paper using chalk or pen, later they are transferred into chalk on the factory floor. Mr Vigna accompanies his designs with gestures and animated talk - all in Italian!

The Vigna birds are not born in an instant; a bird acquires its own special character only after several finishing stages. First the birds are cooled down gradually. Then the tail and beak are cut and polished, very carefully. Every step requires time and skill - and a good eye for the vision of the artist.

The collaboration between Mr Vigna and the glassblowers in Nuutajärvi has been very pleasant:

“I have really enjoyed working with these professional craftsmen, they are so calm and they work in a very focused way. And the place itself, in the middle of the forest, by the lake is - I guess - very typically Finnish.”

Giorgio Vigna points out that, because glass is an organic and live material, even after decades of working with glass, he still find the process magical:

“Each time, it is a miracle to see how the primal shapes, emerging from the hot kiln, are transformed into the creative drop in the crucible. And step by step the birds - these glass jewels - are born.”