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Carme Balada

Carme Balada Ceramicist
Contact
Catalonian, English, French, Spanish
Hours:
By appointment only
Phone:
+34 616025460
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Seduced by Japanese ceramics

  • • For Carme, Japanese ceramics is the basis for all ceramics
  • • She makes large pieces as well as smaller items, especially bowls
  • • She loves to observe nature and be in contact with it

Carme Balada knew from an early age that she wanted to use her hands to express herself. However, she wasn’t sure which craft to pursue until she discovered clay at Escola Massana in Barcelona and fell in love with it. “It was like a seduction,” she says. Although fascinated by all the processes of ceramics, which she considers a deeply mysterious alchemy, she nevertheless abandoned her craft for ten years, until a trip to Japan sparked her enthusiasm once again. She decided to visit Japanese ceramist Rioji Koie, whom she had known for years. As a consequence, all her doubts vanished and she took up her ceramics career once again.

Read the full interview

Works

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Forest Fragments

Forest Fragments is composed of three vases. The black one was made of refractory clay with manganese stains while the two others were enamelled with matt white glaze. Through these pieces, as in her work in general, Carme evokes nature, using organic forms and bark-like textures.

Height 55 cm
Diameter 10 cm

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Utsuwa II

Utsuwa II is part of the Utsuwa series for which Carme used refractory clay. Inspired by basalt stone, she stained the vase’s surface with manganese in order to achieve an even black colour. Intuition was her main tool, guiding her to prioritise pure and simple forms and emphasise the texture and tactility of the material.

Height 27 cm
Diameter 25 cm

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Utsuwa I

Part of the Utsuwa series, this vase was made using refractory clay and white matt enamel. It expresses Carme’s desire to simplify shapes in order to emphasise textures. As in her work in general, she drew inspiration for this piece from nature, giving it a texture evocative of bark on a tree.

Height 28 cm
Diameter 25 cm

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