March 10, 2026

Artist Spotlight: Sara Lundkvist

MEET SARA LUNDKVIST

Based in Stockholm, glass artist Sara Lundkvist creates artworks that are otherworldly. Sara first became intrigued with glass because of its complex materiality: the intense heat makes it very challenging to work with, while the material itself is incredibly fragile. 

Ever since she studied at Orrefors Glass School, she has pushed the boundaries of what is possible to create with glass, often inventing new shapes and expressions in the process. After completing her MA in Ceramics and Glass at KonsHack University of the Arts, Crafts and Design, she initiated the female glass group BOOM!, based on sisterhood and the need among glass artists to share their knowledge with one another.

In her craft practice she is using an interdisciplinary approach where her interest lies in studying and understanding how to use the definition and concept of material culture and how to use its channels of communication to tell new stories. Sara is inspired by magic phenomena, spirituality, and science fiction where she is interested in making her glass objects reflect our desires, hopes and dreams. Her glass work could be seen as objects from another world, from a mysterious darkness or all the colors of the rainbow.

The glass objects Portals have inspiration from the movie Terminator 2, where one terminator becomes liquid metal and another inspiration comes from the science-fiction TV series Stargate where the portals are technological doorways that connect two separate locations in space, gateways which can transfer matter from one to the other.

Lundkvist states, "Through the glass I investigate various phenomena from nature, myths and spirituality where I work with questions concerning authenticity, values, aesthetic and social aspects related to material cultures and their artifacts.

The common inspiration for my glass objects comes from the New Age movement, the Sci-Fi and the fantasy scene such as the kryptonite stone or the portal star gate where I try to get my objects to look like they come from another world and to get the glass questioned about its material affiliation .

By looking at how artifacts are used as vessels of meaning and significance in which I explores various aspects of desire and our ability to charge material objects with values like hope, faith and dreams. I do artistic investigations in the abilities of materials, objects and things to carry a deeper importance and value depending on what we charge them with. Values that even can be supernatural or magical."

Q&A WITH SARA LUNDKVIST

1. Miller Gallery: You’ve been working with glass for many years — a material that’s both technically demanding and incredibly fragile. What first drew you to glassblowing, and how has your relationship with the material evolved over time?

Sara Lundkvist: The first things that struck me about glass were the heat, the sweat, the weight, and the glowing, soft mass that moves almost like syrup. And of course, the craftsmanship — the level of skill required to truly master the material. I have always been drawn to challenges, and glass had everything I was looking for. It felt magical.


2. MG: You experiment with a range of glassmaking techniques and surface effects. What led you to develop your plated, reflective forms — and what did that shift unlock creatively for you?

Sara Lundkvist: When I work with glass, I want the expression to evoke another material — like stone, rubber, mercury, or even an entirely new material that doesn’t exist. I want to deceive the viewer. That idea really drives me: making glass look like something else.

In my Portals I was searching for an expression where the glass resembled liquid metal — like in Terminator 2: Judgment Day. A material so flawless it feels like a mirror, where touching the surface might create a ripple, as if from surface tension. I’m also deeply drawn to the visual language of silver plating, which will likely remain present in my artistic practice for a long time, though expressed in different ways.


3. MG: Your forms often feel fluid and almost alive. Can you walk us through what happens in the studio from molten glass to finished sculpture?

Sara Lundkvist: When I create my Portals in the hot shop, I work with centrifugal force and chance, which means each Portal becomes unique. I can never fully control or predict the exact outcome — instead, I let the glass have a will of its own.

After gathering the amount of glass I want, I heat it until I’m almost on the verge of losing control. While blowing, I quickly spin and stretch the glass, using centrifugal force to shape it. That’s when the form emerges.

Only once the piece has cooled and been ground do I silver it. Using different liquids — such as silver nitrate and ammonia — I pour the solution into the Portal, triggering a chemical reaction that forms a thin silver coating on the inside. It’s a technique that feels magical in itself.


4. MG: You’ve described your Portals as inspired by otherworldly gateways and science fiction. Has that inspiration evolved recently? Are there new ideas, experiences, or references shaping this body of work now?

Sara Lundkvist: This is a theme I have worked with throughout my entire artistic practice. It has its roots in my childhood, when I would escape into other worlds, collecting stones, shells, and small objects, giving them meanings and values far greater than they seemed to have. Now, instead, I create my own worlds through glass — spaces where viewers can also drift away and dream.

More recently, the focus has sometimes shifted toward the magic within the material itself or within the process, but the sense of the supernatural and the magical will always be present.

The objects I’m working with at the moment feel more like self-portraits, though still connected to a supernatural theme. In my creative process, it’s incredibly important that there is a sense of playfulness and curiosity.

5. MG: When someone brings one of your Portals into their home, what do you hope it becomes for them — a sculpture, a conversation piece, a quiet moment of reflection?

Sara Lundkvist: This is a theme I have worked with throughout my entire artistic practice. It has its roots in my childhood, when I would escape into other worlds, collecting stones, shells, and small objects, giving them meanings and values far greater than they seemed to have. Now, instead, I create my own worlds through glass — spaces where viewers can also drift away and dream.

6. MG: Looking ahead, what feels exciting or important for you this year — whether in your studio practice, collaborations, or larger creative goals?

Sara Lundkvist: This year, I plan to experiment more with the material itself, almost like an alchemist attempting to create gold. I want to focus more on discovering new expressions within the glass rather than thinking about the overall composition.

I am also part of a women-only glass collective with five members: myself, Nina Westman, Matilda Kästel, Erika Kristofersson Bredberg, and Ammy Olofsson. This year, we are exhibiting at various art galleries and will travel with our mobile glass studio, giving children and young people the opportunity to try glassblowing. Working in a group and being able to take on larger projects together is, I think, the most fun and rewarding experience I can have.