Arne Tjomsland

Arne Tjom­s­land, a self-taught designer, was a promi­nent figure in Norway during the 1950s and 1960s, mainly known for his exper­tise in creat­ing small-scale figures. Initially working in adver­tis­ing and toy design, he gained recog­ni­tion for shaping animals from the Nordic fauna, Inuits, and Vikings using mate­ri­als like wood and whale­bone. His first figure, a polar bear made from teak, marked the begin­ning of his distinctive creations.

Initially craft­ing all figures himself, Tjom­s­land’s work gained popu­lar­ity, leading furni­ture manu­fac­turer Hiorth & Østlyn­gen to take over some of the produc­tion. His inspi­ra­tion stemmed from child­hood expe­ri­ences reading Polar liter­a­ture and spend­ing time with his father at the Zoolog­i­cal Museum in Oslo. Tjom­s­land’s artis­tic style featured simpli­fied organic shapes and soft yet well-defined lines.