A.W.Finch (1854-1930)
A.W.Finch, the English-Belgian ceramist was invited by Louis Sparre in 1897 to start manage a ceramics department at the Iris factory. After the Iris factory ceased operating, Finch became the first teacher of ceramic art at the School of Applied Arts.

Louis Sparre (1866-1964)
Enticed here by Akseli Gallen-Kallela, Louis Sparre, a Swedish count, came to Finland in 1889. He founded the Iris Factory in Porvoo in 1897. The aim was to produce furniture and ceramics of high aesthetic standards.

Eric O.W.Ehrström (1881-1934)
Eric O.W.Ehrström was a versatile artisan like many other artists at the beginning of the 20th century. Among his most important works are the bronze doors for the National Museum.

The Friends of Finnish Handicraft was founded in 1897, on the initiative of the artist Fanny Churberg, and with the aim of preserving and transmitting Finnish handicraft and its traditional models to future generations.

Aino Aalto (1894-1949)
Aino Aalto was a versatile architect and designer. She designed furniture, textiles and objects. Aino and Alvar Aalto founded Artek together with Maire Gullichsen and Nils-Gustav Hahl.

Alvar Aalto (1898-1976)
Alvar Aalto has had an important role in the Finnish architecture and furniture design. The Paimio Sanatorium is a fine example of Aalto´s functionalist "gesamtkunstwerk".

Tapio Wirkkala (1915-1985)
Wirkkala´s creative work always based itself on a firm knowledge of materials and working methods, no matter what the material was. He designed for example glass, ceramics, metal, wood and plastics.

Gunnel Nyman (1909-1948)
Educated as an interior designer, Gunnel Nyman started to design glass for the Riihimäki Glassworks already in the early 1930´. She designed both everyday tableware and art glass objects.

Kaj Franck (1911-1989)
Kaj Franck was the artistic leader at Arabia since 1945.
Kilta was not a set in the traditional sense, but a modular series of wares that could be combined freely according to the user´s needs.

Birger Kaipiainen (1915-1988)
Birger Kaipiainen worked as an artist with the Arabia factory since 1937. He created unique art pieces except the tableware Paradise. For the 1960 Milan Triennale Kaipiainen made faience birds with pearl decorations in the spirit of surrealism.

Ilmari Tapiovaara (1914-1999)
Ilmari Tapiovaara was a central figure in the post-war reconstruction work. The first big assignment for him was designing the furniture for the Domus Academica (student hostel of the Helsinki University).

Vuokko Nurmesniemi (1930-)
Vuokko Nurmesniemi designed patterns for printed fabrics for Marimekko in the 50s. She founded her own company called Vuokko in 1964.

Saara Hopea (1925-1984)
Interior architect Saara Hopea designed lamps for Taito. In the 50s she collaborated with Kaj Franck at Nuutajärvi Glassworks.

Bertel Gardberg (1916-2007)
Bertel Gardberg created the modern Finnish silversmith´s art. He has designed for example jewelry and cutlery.

Timo Sarpaneva (1926-2006)
Timo Sarpaneva has designed glass, steel, creamics and plastic objects and graphics and printed textiles as well. In the middle of 50s he designed series of glasses called "i" for Iittala.

Rut Bryk (1916-1999)
Rut Bryk started working for Arabia in 1942. She created unique art ceramic pieces. In her early painted plaques she used everyday subjects. Works designed in the 70s and 80s are often large scale wall reliefs.

Lisa Johansson-Pape (1907-1989)
Lisa Johansson-Pape designed lamps for Orno. She designed lighting for 150 churches and for other public spaces.

Eero Aarnio (1932-)
Eero Aarnio became interested in plastics in the early 60s. His first bold experiment with the materilal was the Globe chair in 1963, which proved to be an international succes at the 1966 Cologne Furniture Fair.

Maija Isola (1927-2001)
Maija Isola sought a new image for printed fabrics. Her works are known for their large, bold designs and rich colours.

Antti Nurmesniemi (1927-2003)
Antti Nurmesniemi is one of the designers who has been greatly influenced by modern Finnish architecture. He designed timeless furniture, lamps, interior designs and everyday objects.

Yrjö Kukkapuro (1933-)
Yrjö Kukkapuro designs innovative furniture and focused on ergonomic values.

Kyllikki Salmenhaara (1915-1981)
Kyllikki Salmenhaara worked as an artist for the Arabia Factory since 1947. She respected the laws inherent in the material. She made experimentations with ceramic masses and glazing. She was a teacher of ceramics at the University of Design.

Maija Lavonen (1931-)
Maija Lavonen has been a free lance textile designer from the beginning of the 70s.

Stefan Lindfors (1962-)
Lindfors’ break-through on the international design scene was his lamp “Scaragoo”, introduced at the Milan Furniture Fair in 1988. He has designed furniture, fabrics, fashion as well as graphic design.

Hannu Kähönen (1948-)
Hannu Kähönen founded his own company Creadesign in 1981. He has designed utility articles, machines and for example the Helsinki low floor tram.

Harri Koskinen (1970-)
Harri Koskinen is a young designer who has already received several design awards. His furniture and versatile design objects have aroused great international interest. He designs for Finnish and international companies - for example for Issey Miyake.

Marianne Aav, Kaj Kalin:
Form Finland