Ceramics designer Ann Kristin Einarsen has based her latest collection, Rolla, a series of functional planters, on the Plus Salt and Pepper Grinders designed by Oslo-based design trio Norway Says for Muuto.
The two-tone planters’ rounded forms comprise two elements, a base to hold water, and a pot to hold the plant. Currently at a prototyping stage, the stackable forms are made from low-fired earthenware unglazed clay combined with a glazed porcelain. They come in a range of muted, contrasting colours: blush pink with terracotta, pale blue with off-white, and sage green with rust red.
The base is detailed with a small spout allowing water to be poured neatly inside without disturbing the plant itself. The design of the pot has been considered from an aesthetic as well as practical point of view – its curved concave indent aligns perfectly with the curved convex spout, turning a functional element into a subtle design detail.
The pot’s slightly top-heavy form mimics the minimal stacked wooden pieces of the Norway Says grinder design. Playful and practical in equal measure, Ann experiments with stoneware to create functional and sculptural pieces – her stripped back approach is a common theme throughout her work.
“My ideas come from life,” she told Design Geek in a recent interview, “from living, learning, seeing, experiencing, touching, making, dreaming and failing. And they develop and change through testing, problem-solving, discussion, experimenting, experience and failing, again.”
Colour plays a crucial part in Ann’s design process, with her fresh combinations designed to complement the colours of natural foliage, but above all, form and function are what drive her, so it’s no surprise that her latest work is a functional item for the home.
Ann Kristin Einarsen is a Norwegian artist and designer currently working from her studio in Oslo. She completed a Master’s Degree in Visual Art at the Oslo Academy of Arts in 2011. In 2016 she was selected to be part of the 100{ff546b69e23b1524d799f96c6ba7a638e1f677053b0a2a1568b05315fd5f8fc7} Norway exhibition at London Design Festival’s London Design Fair where she showcased several of her recent collections and prototypes.
Ann Kristin Einarsen is one of Look Like Love’s ‘One-to Watch’ designers, find out more about her work here
