Around 1920, Upsala-Ekeby began to recruit designers in an effort to raise its artistic standards. . The World Exhibition in Paris in 1925 turned out to be an international breakthrough for Swedish utility art, but for Upsala-Ekeby, the breakthrough came later in the 1930s. In the ensuing decades, Upsala-Ekeby would become one of the brightest stars of the Swedish interior design world.

In the 1950s, Upsala-Ekeby started to produce hand-painted figurines of all sizes, shapes and décors. Most prominent of the figurine designers was the British-born Dorothy Clough (1930-). She is best known for her joyous cats with era-typical modernistic expression. Meow!

Hjördis Oldfors and Geometric Décors

The art pottery series at Uppsala-Ekeby often had geometric décors. This was most obvious in the design of Hjördis Oldfors (1920-2014). Most of her series expressed her fondness for graphic patterns and décor, often in combination with softly-shaped pottery. The patterns and décor not only had an aesthetic purpose, but also filled a practical function. They effectively concealed joints in the vases created during the molding process.

It is a Woman’s World - Mari Simmulson

The female designers set the tone for Upsala-Ekeby in the mid-century decades. Women were also ubiquitous in the artwork of Mari Simmulson (1911-2000). They were often represented with almond-shaped eyes behind heavy eyelids. Her women typically have deep, thoughtful expressions, contrasting with the playful colors. In Simmulson’s world there was always both lightness and darkness, laughter and solemnity, all at the same time.