About Anna-Lisa Thomson
Anna-Lisa Thomson was a Swedish ceramist and painter. To most people she is known as a designer for Upsala-Ekeby and Gefle Porcelain Factory, not least as the creator of the iconic "Paprika" vase.
Anna-Lisa Thomson was born in 1905 in Karlskrona. She received her education at Konstfack in Stockholm, and later also abroad. In Sweden she is considered one of the most influential designers during the mid-20th century and has played a decisive role in late Swedish ceramics. The floor vase "Paprika" from 1948 is one of Anna-Lisa Thomson's most famous works.
In Uppsala, Anna-Lisa Thompson was a well-known and established cultural personality.
Ceramicist at Upsala-Ekeby
Anna-Lisa Thompson spent most of her career at Upsala-Ekeby, where she was recruited in 1933. Together with Vicke Lindstrand and Sven Erik Skawonius, she was given the task of changing the company's ceramic focus.
Anna-Lisa Thomson was industrially oriented and wanted to make ceramics accessible to everyone. Her production ranges from a sparse 1930s style, to a plant- and sea-inspired motif world later in her career. Her work is characterized by clean shapes and earthy tones.
Inspiration from the West Coast
Anna-Lisa Thomson designed everything from small figurines to large floor vases and tiled tables. She drew much of her inspiration from Grundsund on the west coast, where she had a summer house. In Grundsund she also devoted herself to painting in a naïve style with nature-inspired motifs and strong colors.
During her professional life, Anna-Lisa Thompson received a number of prizes and awards for her stoneware and porcelain for Upsala-Ekeby.