Ann Wåhlström

Ann Wåhlström is one of Sweden's foremost glass artists who has previously been associated with Kosta Boda. She is based in Stockholm, and her design language leans towards the minimalist yet imaginative, often in bright colours with decorative details.

As a designer and glass artist, Ann Wåhlström has studied at various institutions, including Capellagården on Öland, the Glass School in Orrefors, the Pilchuck School outside Seattle, the Rhode Island School of Design in Providence, and Konstfack in Stockholm.

Ann Wåhlström is inspired by various techniques and the endless possibilities of glass. She was recruited to Kosta Boda in the mid-80s after spending time in the USA, where her artistic expression took shape.

— In Sweden, there were strict rules on how to blow glass. In the USA, they started calling themselves 'artists' right from art school. Then they just did it. It was liberating to work there! Like suddenly being allowed to improvise after previously only playing by the book.

Ann Wåhlström designed the Iris vase series for Svenskt Tenn in 2009: a collection born out of the need for classic, timeless, and functional vases for all occasions. The range also includes the Pion (Peony) vase, designed in 2022 for Reijmyre Glassworks.

Today, Ann Wåhlström is based in Stockholm, where she combines artistic glasswork with freelance design work. Her works are appreciated worldwide, and she is represented, among others, at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London and the National Museum in Stockholm.