I have always wanted to create a jewellery collection themed around Stormskerry Maja. Maja was the protagonist in a TV series that aired in the seventies across all of the Nordic countries. It was based on Anni Blomqvist's books about Maja and her life in the Åland archipelago during the 1800s. There and then, life was entirely at the mercy of the sea. The sea could be both generous and cruel. In the series and the books, the sea takes the lives of both Stormskerry Maja's husband and son. In reality, Anni Blomqvist suffered the same fate.

I began the work a couple of years ago, but it was initially difficult to find the core idea. Then, suddenly, it came to me. We live off and with the sea.

The water is the most important thing. It's about living in harmony with the sea, nurturing it. Like the eelgrass beds that both purify the waters of the Baltic Sea and provide shelter and food for mussels and fish.

The meandering forms of eelgrass were the inspiration I needed. It is a plant worthy of celebration but also in need of protection. Therefore, it became the inspiration behind this collection.

Maria Karlström, Guldviva's head goldsmith.

Anni Blomqvist's 1966 novel 'In the Wake of the Storm' was the first of six novels about Stormskerry Maja and the harsh life in the outer archipelago. Anni Blomqvist knew all about archipelago life and the unpredictable sea. The first book was a tribute to her husband and son who had both lost their lives on sea.

Today, Stormskerry Maja is the backbone of Åland's cultural heritage and a symbol of the archipelago's strong women. Those who can see the light on the horizon even when it is darkest. And who know how important it is to live in harmony with nature and the sea.

The stories of Stormskerry Maja not only took the Ålanders to their hearts. In the 1970s, Stormskerry Maja became a popular TV series that was broadcast in all the Nordic countries. Thanks to Stormskerry Maja, we now have a peephole into 19th century archipelago life.