Dunblane-based contemporary glass maker Elin Isaksson has been chosen to create the awards for Scotland’s national music prize the Scottish Album of the Year, via this year’s SAY Award Design Commission.

Originally from Sweden, Elin began her glass training at the Orrefors Glass School, part of the famous Orrefors crystal factory. She moved to Scotland in 2001, where her passion for glass blowing led her to graduate from Edinburgh College of Art.

She established her studio in 2010, and has been based in Dunblane since 2019. Her unique sandcasted sculptures and contemporary hand blown accessories have received national and international acclaim, and her glass can be found in many galleries throughout the UK. When not undertaking commissions, she teaches the ancient craft of glass blowing at her Dunblane studio.

Elin’s work is influenced by the minimalist designs taught in her early training at the Orrefors Glass School, and the colours of the Scottish landscape which feature prominently in her pieces. She describes her work as Scandinavian design, made in Scotland.

Elin Isaksson said: “I am delighted to be commissioned by the SAY Award to produce the prizes this year. This opportunity will enable me to experiment and strengthen the sustainability of my practice.

I intend to utilise pieces of recycled glass which were formed on the blowing pipe during the creation of previous hand blow pieces.

“This coloured glass cullet will be mixed with molten glass poured from the furnace, and will transform this by-product into something beautiful and useful. I look forward to sharing the results and my wider work at my exhibition at Tolbooth Stirling next year.”

Elin is the third Stirling based maker to be commissioned to design the bespoke prizes for the Scottish Album of the Year (SAY) Award. The previously commissioned makers were Brutal Concrete Workshop, who made their awards from a sustainable form of non-cement concrete, and ART FUTURO, who created their prizes from natural slate. As the selected recipient of the SAY Design Commission, Elin’s work will be celebrated at an exhibition to be hosted at Tolbooth Stirling in early 2025.

Makers were invited to submit their applications based on the theme of sustainability, and Elin impressed the panel with her innovative ideas. The prizes she creates will be presented to the artists being honoured at this year’s SAY Award Ceremony taking place on Thursday 24 October at Stirling’s Albert Halls.

Stirling Council Leader, Cllr Chris Kane said: “Once again, we’ve been spoiled for choice by the high standard of entries for this year’s SAY Award Design Commission from the talented community of creatives that call Stirling home.

“The SAY Award Design Commission has offered a national spotlight for the work of Stirling based artists and my warm congratulations go to Elin for being picked the latest recipient of this prestigious design opportunity.

“In what is our 900th anniversary, Stirling is proud to be welcoming the most exciting and emerging names in Scottish music for the third year in a row for the SAY Award ceremony at the iconic Albert Halls in October.”

Hilary Goodfellow, Design Commission Producer & SAY Award Ceremony Event Manager said:

“The SAY Award Design Commission exists to reward creativity with creativity. Every year, we commission a local maker to create the bespoke prizes based on the theme of sustainability, and this year, we are delighted to be working with renowned maker Elin Isaksson. We can’t wait to see how Elin introduces recycled glass into her distinctive sandcasted sculptures, and we’ve been impressed by her plans to embed sustainability at all stages of her design and production process.”

Plans to build a controversial tennis and golf centre including housing on green belt land beside Dunblane have been scrapped.

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A stunning mural tribute to Andy Murray has been created at Dunblane Sports Club. Tennis Channel International commissioned the work and it was painted by Carlos and Abraham from Murwalls. You can watch the 10 minute documentary tribute including the creation of the mural here.