Ingegerd Råman for Orrefors

Ingegerd Råman is an artisan and designer with glass as her main material. She always designs objects she wants and needs herself – objects with beauty and a functionality.

“My design is clear – with the material in focus and all that is superfluous removed. A natural function and simplicity remain. There is a complexity in usable things. Flaws are instantly revealed in that which have not been well-made,” she says. Her glass always has a functional consideration and proximity. “There is a feeling of passion in what seems like a simple object. Subtly playful and poetic without compromise. To create glass with a sharpness is very difficult. The material does never cease to surprise nor fascinate me. Glass is magical which many can relate to. It captures light and creates reflection”, says Ingegerd Råman.

The designer uses the same sketching techniques today as she has for most of her life. Parchment paper and a pencil. “Despite modern day’s possibilities with digital design programs, I still prefer to use a pencil and parchment paper when sketching. By placing the transparent sheet in layers, I create volume in the design and my work becomes more visual with all the details. Precision matters. Every adjusted millimeter affects the final result. I want to work in peace during the sketching process without reflecting over what others might think.”

Not an easy path

When the three-dimensional object is ready, she puts the sketches aside and places the finished item in the studio positioned where it can be seen in a less obvious way. This is her way to determine if the object is finished or not. If it does not feel right for her then she continues making improvements until it is completed to perfection. To her austerity is important, but passion even more so.

“For those from a younger generation hoping to become a designer I say – do it! Follow your dreams. It is not an easy path, but patience often follows when there is love for a profession. Learn from the failures and the sidetracks but don’t forget to have fun,” says Ingegerd.

Ingegerd Råman

For Orrefors, Ingegerd Råman has designed the collections Cut in Number, Lumiere and Pond.

Ingegerd Råman (born in Stockholm in 1943) studied at Carl Malmsten’s Capellagården, Öland, and at the University of Arts, Crafts & Design in Stockholm. She also studied ceramic chemistry at the Istituto Statale d’Arte per la Ceramica in Faenza, Italy. In 1967, she started her own ceramics studio in Skåne, Sweden, and throughout her career, she has worked as both a ceramics and glass designer. Råman worked for several distinguished Swedish glassworks before she began collaborating with Orrefors in the late 1990s. Today she is among the designers with the greatest significance for the development of Orrefors, and her elegant style continues to be an objective for the future.