Karin Ferner creates cheer 

Karin Ferner is well known for her way of combining tradition and innovation. Her inspiration comes from folk art and her home in Dalarna, Sweden, where the cultural heritage has a strong presence in both everyday life as well as in her work and art. For Christmas 2024, she has created the Jubel (cheer) brass collection for Svenskt Tenn – a collection that exudes celebration, joy and jubilee.

A journey through Dalarna and traditional handicrafts

Karin Ferner’s work, which often combines silver, fabrics and recycled materials, has a distinctive design language that clearly bears traces of Dalarna’s rich cultural heritage and traditional folk art.

“I am married to a man who was an antiquarian at Dalarna’s Museum and was responsible for the collections of objects and the art. He is a specialist in Dala painting and Dala horses. Because of this, the Dalarna cultural heritage has been so alive and such a part of everyday life for the past forty years. Dalarna isn’t just a place for me, but rather an aesthetic way of thinking.”

Jubel Christmas Collection

The deep bond with Dalarna characterises the Jubel collection, which Karin created for Svenskt Tenn’s 2024 Christmas collection. For this, she has used well-recognised forms such as stars, hearts and angels and added a contemporary sense of festivity and celebration.

“I clash cultural heritage with the present as well as influences from all corners of the world. I want the collection to exude celebration, joy and the beginning of Svenskt Tenn’s next hundred years.”

Among the central parts of the collection are the candle cuffs, where Karin wanted to convey the feeling of fireworks and bubbling Champagne. By cutting sheet metal by hand and creating prototypes without doing preliminary sketches, she managed to achieve the right sensation for the decorations. The star tree topper, with thin metal strips cut and twisted to create a glittering, shimmering look, is another powerful example of her ability to combine history, tradition and the present.

“For the star tree topper, I used an old folk technique. To make the decorations glitter, I cut thin strips in the metal, which I then twisted a few times. This makes the material sparkle nicely and adds depth. The other small decorations in the collection are also based on the tried and tested folk art and Christmas shapes. A star and heart have hanging leaves. The inspiration here comes from old folkloric costume jewellery that was often full of clinking leaves. A star has a red tassel, and the little flying angel is loosely inspired by the wonderful world of Dala painting.”

About Karin Ferner

In 2023, Karin Ferner celebrated 50 years of being a silversmith and self-employed. Over the years she has been awarded a number of prizes and accolades, including the Dalarna Region’s Culture Prize (Region Dalarnas Kulturpris) and the Falu Municipality’s Culture Prize (Falu Kommuns Kulturpris). She was also recently named 2024’s designer of the year (Årets Formbärare) in Dalarna, a prestigious title awarded by Svensk Form to people who play an important role in the development of form and design in their region. Her work has been purchased by Nationalmuseum, Public Art Agency Sweden (Statens Konstråd) and Dalarna’s Museum, among others. Karin Ferner’s latest major solo exhibition took place at Dalarna’s Museum in 2023, the year that also marked her 50th anniversary in the profession.

With the Jubel collection, Karin gives Svenskt Tenn’s customers a unique opportunity to celebrate Christmas 2024 with a collection that unites traditional folk art with contemporary design.

“I hope and believe that Jubel would have made Svenskt Tenn’s founder Estrid Ericson both proud and pleased.”