Studies
1981-87 Kuopio Academy of Design, Finland
1986 research training in the colour laboratory of Arabia ceramic factory, Helsinki

Career
1996- own atelier in Fiskars, Finland
1988-95 Studio Arteos in Tervakoski with artist Howard Smith
1987-88 pro-Arte-ceramist, Arabia ceramic factory, Helsinki
assisting among others the artists Kati Tuominen-Niittylä and Jun Kaneko

Memberships
IAC International Academy of Ceramics, Geneve
ORNAMO, Finnish Craft and Design Association & Artists O
ONOMA, The Cooperative of Artisans, Designers and Artists in Fiskars
HELSINKI FAT CLAY -group

Solo exhibitions
2014 Bronda, Helsinki
2014 Puls, Brussels ( showing same time Belgian ceramic artist Jeanne Opgenhaffen )
2012Nostalgia, Hedge Gallery, San Francisco
2009 Galleri Inger Molin, Stockholm
2008 Gallery Norsu, Helsinki
Gallery 5, Oulu, Finland
2007 Carlin Gallery, Paris ( showing same time ceramic artist Rebecca Catterall from GB )
2004 Gallery Nefret, Turku (Åbo), Finland
2004 Gallery Philippe Denys, Brussels ( with Kristina Riska and Kati Tuominen-Niittylä )
2003 Gallery Inger Molin, Stockholm
2002 Gallery Bronda, Helsinki
2002Der Nördliche Garten, Finnish Institute in Germany, Berlin and
Graphic Design School, Anklam, Germany ( with textile artist Katri Haahti )
2001 Gallery Inger Molin, Stockholm
Boreas, Finnish Institute in France, Paris ( with textile artist Katri Haahti )
Gallery Rista, Umeå, Sweden
2000 Gallery Bau, Helsinki
1999Volupi, Arabia Museum, Helsinki
Gallery Inger Molin, Stockholm
1998Echoes, Gallery Bau, Helsinki
1997Odyssey, Hämeenlinna Art Museum, Finland
Gallery Bau, Helsinki
1993 Ceramic gallery Septaria, Helsinki

Group exhibitions

2014 New Joy, Finnish Craft Museum, Jyväskylä, Finland
Rajapinnat - Gränsytor - Blurred Lines, Fiskars summer exhibition
2013Premio Faenza 58°, Museo Internationale delle Ceramiche in Faenza
Joy, the 20th summer exhibition of the Fiskars Cooperative
2012 IAC / International Academy of Ceramics, members show, Santa Fe, USA
Helsinki Fat Clay in Faenza, MIC, Museo Internazionale delle Ceramiche in Faenza, Italy
Helsinki Fat Clay in Milano, Galleria Officinesaffi
New and Classics, Budapest Design Week
New and Classics, Designmuseum, Helsinki
Metamorfosis'12, Lahti Art Museum, Finland
Ceramega, Voipaala Art Center, Finland
All Star Festival, Galleri Inger Molin, Stockholm
2011 Cheongju International Craft Biennale, Korea
Tools, Granary, Fiskars
2010 Luksus 09, Artotheque de Caen, France
In the Woods..., Gallery Norsu's 5-years jubileumsexhibition, Helsinki
Kylässä - Visiting, Taitokortteli, Joensuu, Finland
Feuer und Eis, Keramikmuseum Westerwald, Höhr-Grenzhausesen, Germany
Feuer und Eis, Galerie Marianne Heller, Heidelberg, Germany
Secret, Fiskars
2009Heijastuksia - Återseende - Second sight, Kuparipaja, Fiskars
Re-interpriting Nature, a Design Forum exhibition in the Museum of Applied Arts, Budapest
Återseende - Second sight, Bryggeriet i Nora, Sweden
Luksus 09, Design Forum Finland, Helsinki
Fiskars Design Village, Centro Cultural Santo Dominique, Oaxaca, Mexico
Matka - a Journey, Gallery Norsu, Helsinki
2008 Ceramic Art Museum of Scandinavia, Fule International Ceramic Art Museums,Fuping, China
Fiskars Design Village, Museo Franz Mayer, Mexico City
Fiskars Design Village, Centro Cultural Clavijero in Moralia, Michoacán, Mexico
Keramiikan kevät, Galleria Oljemark, Helsinki
2007Point of View, Fiskars
Ennen näkemätöntä! Fortum Art Foundation, Helsinki Art Hall
2006 19. International Ceramic Biennale, Vallauris, France
Fiskars Design Village,Ozone Living Design Centre, Tokio
Fiskars Design Village, Koumi-machi Kougen Museum of Art, Koumi, Japan
Fiskars Design Village, Mediateque, Sendai, Japan
Sato, Fiskars, Finland
Celebration! Gallery Norsu, Helsinki
Female Form, Designmuseum, Helsinki
2004Syvällä savessa, contemporary Finnish ceramics, Craft museum of Finland, Jyväskylä
Ceramega 04, the Art center of Voipaala, Valkeakoski, Finland
Galerie l'Evènement, Vallauris, France
2003Contemporary Craftspeople, the Finnish National Museum, Helsinki
Fiskars Co-operative, the Finnish Institute in Norway, Oslo
Form between continuity and innovation, Museo Internationale delle Ceramiche in Faenza Retro, Fiskars
Free hands, Fiskars
2002Fiskars Co-operative, the Finnish Benelux Institute, Antwerpen
Gästabordet, Mauritzbergs Slotts Galleri, Vikbolandet, Sweden
Findesign Now 02, Design Forum, Helsinki
Alumni, Kuopio Art Museum, Finland
200110 ceramists from Finland, Craft Space Mokkumto, Seoul, Korea
Ceramic Summer, Gallery Bronda, Helsinki
Eating - Meeting, Sweden House, Brussels
2000Gästabordet - Pitopöytä, Fiskars, Finland / Hällefors, Sweden
Concert House Mikaeli, Mikkeli, Finland, with Karin Widnäs
Hotels, 7. exhibition, Fiskars
Aurora, Craft Space Mokkumto, Seoul, Korea
Gallery Septaria 10 years celebration, Helsinki
the Spirit of the Earth, Fiskars, Finland, with Anneli Sainio
1999Metamorfosis, the Lahti Art Museum, Finland
Jubilee, 6. exhibition, Fiskars
The Museum of Arts Crafts Itami, Japan
1998Taiko 15 years, Verkaranta, Tampere, Finland
Industri +Design=Framtid, Hällefors / Kopparberg, Sweden
Finnish Design 10, Design Forum, Helsinki
Savesta syntynyt, International ceramic exhibition, Fiskars
Process - 5. exhibition, Fiskars
Winter exhibition, Gallery Bau, Helsinki
1997Dialogue - 4. exhibition, Fiskars
1996Et keramisk Univers, Interscandinavian exhibition, Silkeborg, Denmark
Container - 3.exhibition, Fiskars
Bruksgalleriet i Fiskars, Höganäs Museum, Sweden
1994 Art salon Bellarte,Turku, Finland, (with Howard Smith)
Keramik International, Künstlerhaus am Wasserturm, Berlin
1993Keramik International, Römhild, Germany
1991Ceramic 91, Laura Korpikaivo-Tamminen Museum,Lappeenranta, Finland
(together with Howard Smith and Zoltan Popovits)
1991Finnish Design 8, the Museum for Applied Arts, Helsinki

Art fairs
2011 SF20/21 San Francisco 20th Century Art and Design Show, USA, Hedge Gallery
Dallas Art Faire, USA, Hedge Gallery
2010 Art Fair, Helsinki, Gallery Norsu
2008 Collect, V & A, London, Gallery Norsu
2006 Philadelphia Art Museum Craft Show
2005 TEFAF, The European Fine Arts Fair, Maastricht, Galerie Philippe Denys
The 11th National Pottery & Ceramics Festival, Hatfield, UK

Works in collections
Museum Bojmans van Beuningen, Rotterdam
Fule International Ceramic Museums, Fuping, China
Museum für die Sammlung Keramik International, Römhild, Germany
Design Museum, Helsinki
Hämeenlinna Art Museum, Finland
Rovaniemi Art Museum, Jenny and Antti Wihuri Foundation, Finland
Höganäs Museum, Sweden
Arabia Museum, Helsinki
Pyynikinlinna, Tampere, Finland
State Art Collection, Finland
State Art Collection, Sweden
Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland
Fortum Art Foudation, Finland
Nordic Investment Bank, Helsinki
Handelsbanken Art Society, Sweden
Tällberg Art Society, Sweden
Öläns Landsting, Sweden
Västerbotten county, Sweden
Astra Zeneca, Sweden
Agora, Sweden
FILHA, Finnish Lung Health Association, Helsinki
Private collections in several European countries plus USA Japan and Korea

Grants
2013 Arts Promotion Centre Finland, 1-year artist grant
2011 Arts Council of Finland, for organizing exhibition in San Francisco 2012
2010 Finnish Cultural Foundation (Aaltonen & työryhmä) for organizing exhibitions in Germany
2010 Arts Council of Finland (Aaltonen & työryhmä) for organizing exhibitions in Germany
2007 Finnish Cultural Foundation, 3-year work grant
2004 the Finnish State Committee for Design, exhibition grant
2002 Greta and William Lehtinen Foundation
2001 Finnish Cultural Foundation, 1-year work grant
2000 the Finnish State Committee for Design: 1-year artist grant
1999 Arts Council of Finland
1998 Arts Council of Finland
1998 the Uusimaa County Art Committee
1997 Alfred Kordelin Foundation
1993 Kunst und Form, e.v., Germany
1989 the Finnish State Committee for Design
1989 the Häme County Art Committee (for work team Aaltonen - Smith)

Recidences and Symposiums
2008 Fuping Ceramic Art Village, China
2005 Cité Internationale des Arts, Paris
1993 Keramik International, Römhild, Germany

In publications
58° Premio Faenza, MIC, book, 2013
Ceramics, Art and Perception (periodical), USA, nr.91/2013, article
2012 IAC/AIC International academy of Ceramics, exhibition catalog, book
Helsinki Fat Clay, catalog 2012
TD TaideDesign (ArtDesign) Finland 1/2012 article
Cheongju International Craft Biennale 2011/ Craft & Design from Finland, catalog 2011
Feuer und Eis, catalog, 2010
Second Sight - Återseende, Lena Hellström & Sune Holmberg, Himlajorden 2009, Sweden, book
Rovaniemi Art Museum, Jenny and Antti Wihuri Fooundation Collection 2002-2008, book
Wenzel Hagelstam: Huomisen antiikit (Tomorrows antiques) part 4, Weilin & Göös 2007, book
La Revue de la Céramique et du Verre (periodical), France, april 2007, article
Céramique Contemporaine Biennale Internationale Vallauris, 2006, book
Female Form, Designmuseum, Finland, 2006, brochure
The Finnish State Art Collection, 2006, brochure
Åsa Hellman: Art ceramics in Finland, Otava, 2004, book
Museo Internazionale delle Ceramiche in Faenza: Forma tra Continuità et Innovazione, 2003, catalog
Lena Hellström, Sune Högberg, Barbro Kulvik: Gästabordet - Pitopöytä, 2000, book
Ceramic monthly (perodical), may 1999, article
Tim Steffa & Winfrid Zakowski: Erna Aaltonen, ceramic artist,1997, brochure
Keramik International, das 7. Internationale Keramiksymposium in Römhild, 1993, catalog