Bertil Vallien is a renowned Swedish glass artist.
He was born in 1938 in Stockholm and trained in ceramics under Stig Lindberg at Konstfack. After graduating in the early 1960s, he travelled to the USA and South America, returning to Sweden in 1963. That same year, he married fellow artist Ulrica Hydman-Vallien.
Unique sculpture in the form of a boat, clubbed on Stockholms Auktionsverk Fine Art for 4 125 GBP.
Åfors, Kosta & Boda
Upon his return to Sweden, he was commissioned to create glass objects for the centenary of Boda Glasbruk. Subsequently, he joined Åfors Glassworks, where his primary responsibility was to design functional and affordable everyday glassware.
During his tenure at Åfors, Vallien produced the Blue Series, notable for its vivid blue hue and organic forms. This series encompasses vases, bottles, bowls, lidded boxes, and bonbon jars.
In the early 1980s, he crafted the now-iconic Château series, which continues to be one of Kosta Boda's most popular and best-selling tableware glasses.
"Château" glass set.
Since 2012, Bertil Vallien has been associated with Kosta Glassbruk, where he has excelled in the art of sand casting. He gained international recognition in the 1980s with his sculptural boats made from sand-cast glass, leaving a lasting impact on the history of modern glass.
Today, Bertil Vallien is acknowledged as one of the leading glass artists in the world and is represented in numerous international museums.