Element Clay Studio-A Maker You Must Know-According to LiLu
Element Clay Studio
Heather Knight of Element Clay Studio is a modern-day success story. Her passion for her art combined with a savvy approach to using the internet as a sales and marketing tool has allowed her to turn a part-time venture into a booming success of a business. What caught my eye, however, is her use of nature as an inspiration for her decidedly modern ceramics.
Nature as Inspiration
Often designers and artists draw inspiration from nature. What is brilliant about Element Clay is the monochromatic glaze and the repetition of the textures that turns a natural element into a modern aesthetic statement. From flowers to sea urchins to seed pods, Heather gathers natural objects to fuel her creativity. Taking a texture and then simplifying it into a wall tile or bowl.
I love how these items can then be grouped or used individually to create an artistic statement as part of an interior.
Wall Tiles
Too often people limit the art on their walls to painted canvases. A composition of ceramic wall tiles can add texture and interest to a home and create depth to an art collection. I love the idea of creating a gallery wall of Element Clay wall tiles on a wall in a home for a focal point.
See their Instagram for inspiration. We haven’t used Heather's work in a home yet, but here are a couple of examples of ceramics used in this unconventional way.
Porcelain as the Base
I have loved porcelain and the matte look of the final product for many years. I never knew until I spotted Heather’s work at Element Clay Studio that porcelain work is available in white and black. The black porcelain has nuance of color in a range of grays that is quite intriguing to me.
Tableware
Some of her works combine the white porcelain with a little glaze inside of a bowl. I imagine a group of urchin or geode bowls with amuse bouche on your table would give you a reputation as a chic host.
Keeping it Real
Other things to admire about Heather Knight
Her commitment to continuing to make every piece by hand with her original techniques in the face of high demand and popularity
"I am extremely dedicated to all hand built production, all of my items are made by hand from start to finish, each urchin bowl is pinched from a ball of clay, each vase is thrown on the wheel, each piece of texture is hand built and individually applied to a slab built form, each mark on my functional bowls is made by my hands. Every piece that leaves my studio is truly a one of a kind work."
- Heather Knight
I love her new studio made fromshipping containers! Reuse and cool combined. What’s not to admire!
See More
Check out more of Element Clay Studio’s work by visiting their website and their Instagram!
Read more about the Maker’s We Admire
Aronson Woodworks
Mary Jo Hoffman
Jill Rosenwald
Natalie Chanin
4 May, 2019 at 10:41 am
These are gorgeous, Lisa! What a great artist find!
4 May, 2019 at 11:26 am
Wow, so beautiful! Love the modern organic shapes using a traditional art form!
5 May, 2019 at 7:50 am
These are stunning! Thank you for sharing this artist.
5 May, 2019 at 9:49 pm
Wowwww. Thank you LiLu for sharing this artist with us. I adore her and her incredible, hand made pieces! Gorgeous.