Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Made in Norway
Light up your home with a ceramic sculpture from the north
By Helene Toftner | Photos: ERT Keramikk
ERT Keramikk is the result of a fabulous fantasy and strong women. Artist Elin Rødahl Thingnes creates ceramic sculptures that will lighten up any living room, adding unusual textiles and materials to her designs. The artist behind ERT Keramikk, Elin Rødahl Thingnes, has always been inspired by nature and strong women, a combination that is evident in her work. Mainly decorative objects for the home, her designs are mostly female clay sculptures decorated with leftovers from her grandmother’s lace curtains or materials from nature such as a leaf or straw. “My sculptures are largely results of my fantasy,” says the designer. There is no need to worry that you might end up with the same piece as your neighbour, as all items are unique. “That’s the beauty when everything is handmade,” Rødahl Thingnes says. Many of her customers are looking for exact-
ly that: something truly special, whether for a wedding present or a unique treat for themselves. “Every so often, men pop in as a last resort for a gift for the styleconscious wife,” she adds with a smile. The products are available in selected galleries and shops from Honningsvåg in the north to Kristiansand in the south, but can also be purchased via the website. For special occasions, the designer also creates custom-made pieces on request. For more information and to purchase ERT Keramikk pieces, please see: www.ertkeramikk.com and www.facebook.com/ERTkeramikk
Innovative knitting with traditional flair Driven by her passion for knitting and a dream to start her own business, entrepreneur and mother-of-two Trine Johnsen left her safe job as a marketing consultant with a large Norwegian retail bank, to start Knit Me. By Stian Sangvig | Photos: Mari Lauvheim
Based near Trondheim, Knit Me offers packages containing knitting needles, yarn and scissors in addition to knitting patterns for simple, classical and easy clothing projects for women and children. Today 30 retailers across Norway, mostly of yarn, sell Knit Me’s knitting products, and each of the components can be bought separately. As the market responded positively to Knit Me’s untraditional product offer28 | Issue 86 | March 2016
ing, Johnsen identified an additional need amongst her customers. “When customers had completed their knitting packages they came back to me to request more yarn,” she explains. “Our two types of yarn are of the highest quality and specially made in Peru.” The next step for Knit Me is to expand from yarn shops to other category retailers, as well as internationally. Johnsen is already an active user of social media such as Facebook and Instagram to raise awareness beyond Norway’s borders. “I am keen to sell my products through less traditional channels, including fashion retailers, travel shops, book shops, cafes and kiosks. As the products are suitable for travel, airport outlets are po-
tentially interesting, and I am already in dialogue with a number of them,” Johnsen explains. “My vision is for this to serve as a stepping stone for international expansion.” For more information, please visit: www.knitme.no