Erna Aaltonen

Erna Aaltonen (1951- ) is a Finnish ceramist known for her coarse stoneware sculptural vessels with rubbed oxides on a pitted surface. She is the wife and business partner of Howard Smith, about whom I posted yesterday.

Aaltonen studied under Heikki Jylhä-Vuorio at the Kuopio Academy of Design from 1981-1987. She then worked at Arabia Finland as an assistant to Smith, Heljä Liukko-Sundström, Kati Tuominen-Nittylä, Inkeri Leivo and Jun Kaneko.

She and Smith established Studio Arteos in 1988, and she has also maintained a studio of her own since 1996.  Her awards include Arts Council of Finland grants in 1998 and 1999, a one-year Artist Grant by the Finnish State Committee for Design in 2000, a one-year work grant from the Finnish Cultural Foundation in 2001, the Greta and William Lehtinen Foundation Award in 2002 and the Finnish State Committee for Design exhibition grant in 2004.

Aaltonen creates her pieces out of thinly rolled ribbons of clay joined at the edges. She does not use a potter's wheel or molds.Her designs are simple but very elegant and represent the Finnish aesthetic well.

She and husband Howard Smith have converted a barn built to store apples into a magnificent home that's full of their beautiful creations.

From ceramicstoday.com and boston.com

Ceramic vessels
architecturaldigest.com

Roselia
artnet.com

Oceana
artnet.com

Chardes
artnet.com

Glow
artslant.com

Verytide
artnet.com

Peru
ceramicstoday.com

Dune
ernaaaltonen.weebly.com

Ituri
ernaaaltonen.weebly.com

Rain
ernaaaltonen.weebly.com

Aaltonen ceramic piece with Karti Haahti wall hanging
onoma.org

2012 Nostalgia exhibition
pinterest.com - Hedge Gallery

A new grail

I've had my share of Holy Grails. One by one, I've either bought them for myself or my SIL has bought them for the store, so at least I got to enjoy them for a time.

My last one became somewhat of an obsession. I was determined to find a small white Pollo vase by Tapio Wirkkala. Some of you are thinking, "What's the big deal? Those turn up all the time." And you're right. They do. But I wanted to find one on eBay or Etsy (because I don't have the patience for estate sales or thrift stores), and I wanted to find one in perfect condition for under $50 (a number I pulled out of thin air). That made the quest a little more challenging, but I finally found one, which is now sitting pretty on a shelf in my bathroom, along with a Kingfisher, also by Wirkkala, and a beautiful glass bird that looks very much like a Dino Martens piece...although I haven't been able to verify that yet.

What does someone who is slightly obsessive do when there's nothing to obsess about? That's simple. She turns to her friends, who helpfully point out new and more elusive items to chase. This time, the wonderful Pippa of Ouch Flower put me onto my newest pursuit: an Arabia of Finland ceramic bird by Howard Smith.

Make that two birds. I want one in white, as well as one in black. And I want them for considerably less than $200+, which seems to be the going price these days.

White bird by Howard Smith for Arabia of Finland
ebay.com - vital_forms

Black bird by Howard Smith for Arabia of Finland
modcats.com

These come in different colors and different poses, but the forward-looking black and white ones, which stand 8.5" tall and 9" long, are what I want...although I have to admit that some of the others are delightful.

laatutavara.com

laatutavara.com

ebay.com - walkingtan

So let the hunt begin! It may take a while, but someday two of these birds will join my growing collection.