Ola and Marie Höglund
Swedish–New Zealand glass artist duo
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Ola Höglund (1956 – 20 December 2024) and Marie Höglund (born 1955) are Swedish–New Zealand glass artists. They met at the age of fifteen, trained at the same glass school, and almost always worked collaboratively.[1]
Early life and training
Marie Simberg-Höglund was born in 1955 in Gothenburg, Sweden and trained at Orrefors Glass Studios and then Kosta Boda.[2] After focusing on engraving at Kosat Boda, Marie went on to two years studying handweaving and fabric design at Emmaboda College.[3]: 15
Ola Höglund was born in 1956 in Stockholm, Sweden. Between 1972 and 1977 he trained at Orrefors Glass Studios and Kosta Boda.[2]
Work in Sweden and Swaziland
In 1977, the two worked together at Vastkusthyttans Art Glass Studio, Marie as a designer-engraver and Ola as a designer-glassblower.[3]: 15 From there they were sent in 1978 to Swaziland by the Swedish International Development Authority, where they spent three years there establishing a workshop and teaching glassblowing skills.[1][3]: 15
Work in New Zealand
In 1982, the Höglunds emigrated to Nelson, New Zealand. Shortly after they arrived, potter Jack Laird invited them to set up a studio at Craft Habitat in Nelson, where they remained for nine years.[1]
In 1994, they established Höglund Glassblowing Studio at Appleby, near Nelson.[2][4] Ola typically blew the glass and Marie applied the surface treatment to the objects they created.[1] Laird, writing about their work in 1987, noted that: "They see themselves as a team, jointly working on all projects, and developing ideas by responding to each other's suggestions and contributions".[3]: 16 In their artistic practices, they widely used the graal technique first developed in Sweden in 1916.[2] In 2002, they established Höglund Art Glass Studio in North Queensland as a winter studio.[5] In 1999, the pair opened new gallery showrooms in Auckland, doing the same in Sydney the following year and launching a store in Melbourne in 2001.[6]
In 1999, they were officially appointed glass artists for the America's Cup and they produced glassware for Team New Zealand in 2000 and 2003. In 2000, they were also awarded a licence to produce official merchandise for the Sydney Olympics.[1]
In 2022, Ola Höglund was diagnosed with motor neuron disease.[4] He died at Appleby on 20 December 2024, at the age of 68.[4]
Further sources
- Julie Warren, Ola and Marie Hoglund: Glorious Glass, Craft New Zealand 41, Spring 1992
- Jack Laird, Marie and Ola Hoglund: Scandinavian Skills in Nelson, New Zealand Crafts 20, Autumn 1987