GlassreliefLynx signature collection by Mats Jonasson 1986
Mats Jonasson (born 1945) is aSwedishglassdesigner.[1] Coming from a glassworkers family, he started to learn glassengraving when he was 14 years old.[2]
He is notable for his engravedlead crystal sculptures of flowers and wildlife that are manufactured by theglassworks inMålerås,Sweden and are marketed around the world.[3][4] He is represented with several works at the Småland Museum inVäxjö, Sweden.[5] One of his larger public sculptures is theGlass Angel in the children section at the Skogskyrkogården ('The Woodland Cemetery') inLjungby.[6]
In 1981, whenKosta Boda, the owner of Målerås glassworks, wanted to close down the production in Målerås, Jonasson and his colleagues bought the glassworks to keep it running.[3][7][8] A few years later,Orrefors Glassworks (now merged with Kosta Boda), made a new bid for Målerås glassworks. This time the residents of Målerås, united around the local glassworks and formed a cooperation with Jonasson as CEO, to strengthen its position. Orrefors had been moving part of the production abroad, but Målerås wanted to keep the "Made in Sweden" trademark strong. In 2014, the company had over 50 employees, including designer Ludvig Löfgren who was recruited from Orrefors.[3]
