Born 1938, Bertil Vallien was only 15 when he left home, drawn by the allure of the big city. After a series of occasional jobs, as a window-dresser at one of the main department stores in Stockholm, and as an apprentice in his father’s decorating firm, Vallien would eventually decide to become an artist which would lead him into the world of ceramics. The guidance he received in his early career included that of Stig Lindberg – one of Sweden’s foremost designers of ceramic art and one of the leading designers for Rörstrand in the 1970’s.
A demonstration of Vallien’s sand casting process: https://youtu.be/hjW7qoLvwYw
Today, Vallien is one of the most well-known representatives of 20th century Swedish ceramic and art glass design and is represented at the Swedish National Museum of Art and Design as well as abroad in the Everson Museum of Art of New York.
Valiien’s works have only become more collectable over the years with sculptures from his Head and Journey (Boat) series fetching up to $20,000 USD
