Arts and crafts on the Northwest Coast

The north-west coast is home to a diverse range of artisans who work with different materials and techniques, such as glass, ceramics, wood and glass. Many studios have working workshops where you can watch the artisans at work up close and often talk to the artists themselves about their sources of inspiration and experiences.

Glass art – a magical ancient craft

Glass art is a craft that dates back more than 2,000 years, and it seems almost magical when the glassblower breathes life into the hot, red-hot lump of glass and transforms it into a beautiful and completely unique bowl, vase, wine glass or sculpture. Lønstrup is the town in Denmark with the highest concentration of artisans, and there are also two glassblowers here. At Glashuset Vange Glas, you can watch them at work in their large open workshop. They make functional items and unique sculptures, and you will quickly be fascinated by the large hot furnaces where they work intensely with the molten glass. The same is true of Glaspusteriet Rikke Precht, but here the style and design are completely different. What both have in common is that it is difficult to choose which of the beautiful works of art to take home as a lasting memory and a feast for the eyes.

Find more artisans working with glass here.

Visiting a potter

The many potters located along the entire north-west coast each have their own style and design. Different materials and firing methods produce widely varying results. Beautiful shapes such as dishes, vases, bowls, etc. are turned from the clay. The potters turn and fire their wares in open workshops, where they also sell their works of art. At Keramiker Dorte Visby in Lønstrup, you can see the artist's own works, but the place also functions as a gallery for many other art forms, which are also sold on site. Right outside the door is the most beautiful view of Rubjerg Knude Lighthouse.

Art galleries with something for everyone

The galleries offer a variety of experiences, ranging from delicate watercolours to modern and provocative works. Here, too, there are artists who work in their galleries, so you can follow the creation of the works.

Lien Kunstcenter is an exhibition venue for Danish and foreign artists, with a unique location in Slettestrand overlooking the entire Jammerbugten bay. 

Find more galleries on the Northwest Coast

Art is also...

Art and creativity arise from many different materials, and only the imagination sets limits. On the northwest coast, you can find artists who polish amber found on the beach into beautiful jewellery, and stonemasons who create beautiful stone sculptures from raw materials. Visit a jewellery designer and take home some unique jewellery – examples include Jan Jørgensen in Blokhus or Loenstrup Smykke Design, where you will find completely unique hand-crafted jewellery. At the Hornvarefabrikken workshop in Bøvlingbjerg, an ancient craft is preserved, where horn is processed into spoons, jewellery and utensils. In Blokhus, there is a unique Museum of Paper Art, which is the only one of its kind in the Nordic region.