Dr. Sara Rylander

Biography

Sara Rylander is an Associate Professor at Umeå University, engaged in teacher education with a focus on art and craft. Her work emphasizes the importance of transferring cultural immaterial heritage through education, particularly in woodworking. Over the past decade, she has observed significant advancements in technology, including the advent of 3D printers, laser cutters, and CNC machines, all of which have revolutionized the fields of design, art, architecture, and crafts. Rylander has dedicated her research to understanding the role that digital tools play within the traditional cultural context of craftsmanship. She has established the SloydLab, which is aimed at exploring how these digital tools can challenge and enhance traditional craftsmanship. Rylander teaches a variety of courses that encompass both traditional woodworking techniques and modern design principles, including form and color theory. Her artistic practice actively explores the intersections between art, design, and crafts, where she works across disciplinary boundaries, merging analog and digital methods of creation. A current project, 'Pushing Limits Craft,' investigates the integration of digital design tools with traditional craft techniques to reshape creative processes and challenge conventional approaches to craftsmanship and design.

Research Interests