A graduate of the Norwegian National Academy of Craft and Art Industry, since 1975 she has created a variety of practical and artistic artefacts, both large and small, working mainly with blue clay.
[2] She attended the Norwegian National Academy of Craft and Art Industry (1971–74), after which she spent a year gaining practical experience in the studio of the ceramist Lisbet Dæhlin.
Working with blue clay, she has produced a wide variety of pottery, including bowls, dishes, jugs and cups.
Inspired by folk art from around the world and by the use of colour in the Mediterranean countries, she has focused on artistic expression rather than function.
[1] In recent years, Malterud has contributed significantly to the status of craftsmanship and has been influential in improving facilities at the university level in Norway and beyond.