Elizaveta Putilina

Ceramicist

©Elizaveta Putilina

Peace in pottery

Elizaveta has produced more than 1000 ceramic objects
She is inspired by the Japanese wabi-sabi aesthetics
She graduated from Poltava Polytechnic in Ukraine

Pottery is a meditative experience for Elizaveta Putilina. When you observe her at work forming the clay, decorating or simply talking about ceramics, you can’t help but notice her passion for the craft. The mastery is evident too, the young artist has chosen to dedicate her life to pottery, studying it at university and then jumping straight into the profession, opening her studio in 2018 in the city of Poltava. Inspired by nature and Japanese wabi-sabi ceramics, Elizaveta has created her own distinguished style that utilises green glazing and uneven lines. The creative process is different for every item, the artisan always experiments with sizes, drying times, glazing and firing.

Interview

©Elizaveta Putilina

©Elizaveta Putilina

What is a ceramics fact that people don’t usually know?: To achieve the effects that I create with glazes, you need a thick layer of glaze, which leads to a high risk of rupture and breaking of the item. That means that the world will never see about 30 percent of products that have passed almost all stages to completion.
What advice would you give to young ceramicists?: Pottery is “alive” at all stages, you can’t fully reproduce the initial idea, the crafting journey is mutable, glazing and firing can change the item. If you love the process and you are ready to accept the fact that the results always differ - then this may be the craft for you.
What do you love the most about your craft?: The glazing process is the aspect of the profession that I am fascinated by the most. This part feels like magic and it is definitely my favourite step. Also, when I obtain the final product, I can’t help but get aesthetic pleasure seeing the completion of an artwork.
What is the most memorable moment of your professional life?: I think one of the most special moments was when I finished my first two teapots, which I still have. The emotions that I felt are still very vivid. Fast forward to today and I am still driven by the same yearning for creativity, self-expression and aesthetics.

Elizaveta Putilina is a rising star: she began her career in 2017