Meet the Maker - Katia Carletti

 

You might have noticed Katia's ceramics popping up throughout our instagram feed or if you have popped by our studio, you will have seen the girls sipping tea from her beautiful mugs. We thought we might share a little bit more about Katia with this 'Meet the Maker' interview. 

 

When did you begin working with ceramics and how did you get into it? 

I started working with clay properly in my forth year of art school, as a companion to my painting practice. I was making works about the everyday as sacred, as well as using small domestic objects to describe big scientific ideas about the cosmos. I made collections of nesting bowls with delicately painted stars on them, and its funny because 7 years later I’m still making work with moons and stars! Only this is work I hope that people will feel comfortable to integrate into their everyday rituals, rather than keep in a precious place as ‘art’.

 

What does your process look like, how important is the process itself in what you do?

My process is very slow. I hand pinch all of my work, slowly gathering up the form with my fingers from a ball of clay. It’s a more labour intensive way of working than throwing or slip casting, but I like the rhythm and mediation of repetitive pinching to find a form.

 

What are your favourite aspects of your work? 

My favourite part of the making process is experimenting with new ideas. Often I will do lots of little pen sketches of ideas and then turn one or two of them into finished forms. Sometimes a lot changes between the drawing and the clay stage, but its fun to problem solve with the clay and see what looks right.

 

What does a typical day look like for you? 

Most days are filled with production work. I have lists of things I need to make and these can be roughly broken down into how many things I can make per day. I work from home so I can usually get an early start, and take quick breaks to make food or coffee, and give my bunny a cuddle. Some days I will fire my kiln out in the shed, or glaze work ready for firing.

 

At NMJ we are all about the handmade artisan object, which is why we love your work so much. What does it mean to you to have your hand crafted products become a part of peoples every day lives? 

This is one of the best parts of being a maker! It can be easy to forget where the work is going, that it will have a life after it leaves my studio, but knowing that my work will be enjoyed certainly gives me a kick. Sometimes I get kind of deep inside the process and it’s hard to remember that it’s a cup that’s going to be used, rather than just an extension of my hands and brain! I personally love using other potter’s work in my kitchen, so if other people got half the enjoyment I feel using those cups and bowls from my work I’d be pretty happy!

 

Shop Katia's ceramics here >