How do you express tradition and innovation in your work?
Ceramic art reflects the preferences and the inner world of the artist. Clay is a shapeless material and it needs to be “forced” – or rather, persuaded – into form. Therefore, the process is personal and intuitive, mirroring its maker. And since people are much alike, ceramic works have many similarities no matter where they are made, containing elements from the past and present.
What does “well made” mean to you?
I let the clay lead the design. The process is very intuitive. It always contains a small risky element. “Well made” means a risk has worked, and the result appears to have been born naturally and easily. Like a quick sketch on paper.
©Annabelle Antas
Do you remember the moment when you first thought of picking up this craft?
I did ceramics classes at school. Once we got instructed to make a copy of a Mexican pot by hand coiling. It was fun to see how many different interpretations came out, not one similar! It took all my attention for weeks – and it cracked in the firing.
What was the first object you made?
During my university studies, I did an apprenticeship at Arabia ceramics factory, next to our school. But the first product that I designed was for the ceramics and glass industry in Finland, the product was a vase Natal for the Iittala brand.