Eva Hidström studied at Ateneum under among others the renowned designer Bertel Gardberg (who urged her to start working with enamel) in Helsinki in the early 1950’s and from 1956 until 1967 she had a studio in Salo, with work and study stints in Germany and Switzerland as well. Her teacher Max Fröhlich helped her develop the technique while she studied in Switzerland.
In Finland she worked with her apprentice Vuokko Kavander. She created lots of jewellery in the shape of bracelets, necklaces and earrings and focused on enamel decorations, among them scraffito which involved laying different layers of enamel glass on top of each other. She also made enamelled boxes and even exhibited at the Milan Triennale in 1960.
From 1968 until 1971 she worked for Hopeakeskus (The Silver Centre) where she crafted candle holders, spoons and bowls like the one below, their inside covered with bright blue or orange enamel.
She has also worked for the gold smith Tillander (1954-1955) and she has taught at the Finnish Goldsmith School (1971-1982).
Eva Hidström particularly liked her framed enamel work as it allowed her to express herself freely without the commercial restraints. She made most of them in the 1980s.
A large part of her work was exported and there seems to be very few items on the market but her archives are held by the Design Museum in Helsinki.
- Eva Hidström
- Born 1930
- Pioneered the use of enamel design (cloisonné) and helped bring to and further the art form in Finland and around Europe.
Images from Turun Sanomat, Bukowskis, Auktionsverket, Leimat.fi, Salon Taiteilijaseura, Design Museum and the magazines Yhteisvoimin and Me Naiset.