What was your first experience of porcelain?
My mother put her most precious pieces of fine art in a glass cabinet which was off limits to small children like me. But from time to time she would take out a delicate tea set and gently lift a cup from its saucer and hold it up against the light. Suddenly a watermarked portrait of a Japanese lady appeared in the base.
What did you feel when you saw it?
My thought was always: how did the lady get into the cup? Each time it was a magical moment – and even today, after being surrounded by porcelain for decades, I keep this magic in my mind and repeat it every time I play with light-creating illusions in porcelain. It has basically become my profession, what I call illumagie.
© Harald Wiesleitner
Where do find inspiration for objects like your disc lamps?
My inspiration comes from nature. I love the submarine world, corals, minerals and stones as well as flowers and plants or cosmic and microcosmic structures. You will find all of them in the lamps, which totally change their appearance when turned on and off.
What's the key to being a successful artisan?
Talent is a gift. But to turn it into a profession, it needs passion. Furthermore, good technical training and a willingness for lifelong learning, self-motivation and resilience. And you must be aware that success doesn’t mean earning lots of money or becoming famous. It means the joy of discovery and creation in the making process.