Playing With Fire
Fine Art Glass Blowing Workshops
Curriculum Vitae for Minna Koistinen
BORN in 1967 in Kuusjarvi, Finland, and lives and works in Toronto, Canada
EDUCATION
1991-97 MFA - University of Art and Design (UIAH), Department of Ceramic and Glass Design, Helsinki, Finland,
1994-96 Glassmaking - Sheridan College, Oakville ON, Canada
1986-88 Diploma in Graphic Design, Lybecker Arts and Crafts School, Raahe, Finland
AFFILIATIONS
2001 to present Member of Geisterblitz Glass Studio Inc., Toronto, Canada
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS
2003 “Spirit Presence: Geisterblitz Glass Studio”, The Station Gallery, Whitby, Canada
2002

“The One Of a Kind Christmas Canadian Craft Show and Sale”, Toronto, Canada

Featured Artist - “Window of Opportunity” Special Exhibition Series, A Show of Hands Gallery, Toronto, Canada

“The Annual Invitational Glass Exhibition”, The Guild Shop, Toronto, Canada

“Black & White”, A Show of Hands Gallery, Toronto, Canada

2001

“The One Of a Kind Christmas Canadian Craft Show and Sale”, Toronto, Canada

“Candles and Lights 2001”, Star Fish Glass Works, Victoria, BC, Canada

“Crossing Cultures”, Portfoolio, Toronto, Canada

The 40th Annual Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition, Toronto, Canada

The Annual Invitational Glass Exhibition”, The Guild Shop, Toronto, Canada

2000 “The Boxed Set Show”, Star Fish Glass Works, Victoria, BC, Canada

“The One Of a Kind Christmas Canadian Craft Show and Sale”, Toronto, Canada

“The Looking Forward Exhibition”, OCC, Toronto, Canada

The 39th Annual Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition, Toronto, Canada

“The Annual Invitational Glass Exhibition”, The Guild Shop, Toronto, Canada

“Finnish Glass Lives 4”, The Finnish Glass Museum, Finland

“Judaica 2000”, A Show of Hands Gallery, Toronto, Canada

“The Art of a Kitchen Garden”, Portfoolio, Toronto, Canada

1999 "A la Chandelle", Galerie Elena Lee Verre D'Art, Montreal, Canada

“Highlights in Canadian Contemporary Craft”, Glendon Gallery, Toronto

Feature Artist in “Night Garden”, Portfoolio, Toronto, Canada

“3rd Annual Canadian Glass Show” West End Gallery, Victoria, Canada

The 38th Annual Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition, Toronto, Canada

“The Annual Invitational Glass Exhibition, The Guild Shop, Toronto, Canada

“Thaw Out 4”, Gallery Arts On King, Toronto, Canada

1998

“The One Of a Kind Christmas Canadian Craft Show and Sale”, Toronto, Canada

“On the Cutting Edge”, A Show of Hands Gallery, Toronto, Canada

The 37th Annual Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition, Toronto, Canada

“The Annual Invitational Glass Exhibition”, The Guild Shop, Toronto, Canada

“Thaw Out 3”, Gallery Arts On King, Toronto, Canada

“Debut”, Living Arts Centre, Mississauga, Canada

1997 “Alive”, solo exhibition, Into Gallery, Helsinki, Finland
1996 The 35th Annual Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition, Toronto, Canada

26th Glass Art Society Conference, Boston, USA

La Biennale Canadienne Du Verre, Montreal, Canada

SCHOLARSHIPS
2000

Pilchuck Glass School, for a workshop in Bonded Sand Casting with Lee Lyon and Jaqueline Spiro, USA

1997 UIAH, for setting up a solo exhibition, Finland
1995 UIAH, for a trip to Corning Glass Museum, USA
1994 UIAH, for studying in Sheridan College, Canada
AWARDS
2000 Award in a poetry contest, Pilchuck Glass School, Seattle, USA

Awarded for “Best Holiday Product” at the One of a Kind Christmas Craft Show and Sale, Toronto, Canada

RELATED WORK EXPERIENCE
2003 - present Instructor and coordinator of weekend workshops, Geisterblitz Glass Studio, Toronto, Canada
1999-2001 Instructor - "Glass Christmas Ornaments 101-201" workshops, The Living Arts Centre, Mississauga

Instructor - "Paperweights at the Furnace 101" workshops, The Living Arts Centre, Mississauga

Instructor - "Hot Glass 201", The Living Arts Centre, Mississauga

Instructor for “Kids Glass Hands” (parent/child workshops), The Living Arts Centre, Mississauga

1998 Assistant for Jeff Goodman, Jeff Goodman Ltd., Toronto, Canada

Instructor for “Hot Glass 201”, The Living Arts Centre, Mississauga

1997-2001

Resident artist at The Living Arts Centre, Mississauga, Canada

COMMISSIONS
1999 Lamp shades for the restaurant "Fire and Ice", Markham, Canada

Wall decoration for the restaurant “Green Mango”, Toronto, Canada

WORKSHOPS
2000 Bonded Sand Casting, with Lee Lyon and Jaqueline Spiro
1996 Hot Glass Sculpture, with Ferinand Theriot

Glassblowing, with Morna Tudor and Gary Bolt

Glassblowing with Claire Maunsel

1994 Hot Glass Casting, with Rury Iwata at Harbourfont Centre

Advanced Glassblowing, with Andrew Kuntz

Hot Glass Sculpture, with Karen Willenbrink

Venetian Glass, with Bill Gudenrath

Glassblowing, with Unto Suominen

Glassblowing, with Catherine Grey and Blaise Campbell

Coldworking, with Mikko Kylli

Glass Design, with Brita Flander

1994

Orrefors Glass School

Glass Casting , with Oiva Toikka

Stained Glass, with Mike Davis

1993

Experimental Glass Workshop, with Anu Lehtonen

Hot Glass Casting , with Frantisek Janak

1991-92 Glass Basics, with Vesa Varrela