Hanna Heino

Ceramic sculptures as personal journeys

• Rootlessness, freedom and change drive Hanna forward
• Her work is made using ancient techniques twinned with contemporary flair
• Her objects must have a deeper meaning, a reason to be made

In a world that moves fast, Hanna Heino's sculptural creations invite stillness. Working with her hands is something Hanna has enjoyed from an early age, though her professional life started in interior design and residential development. In 2015, she discovered ceramics and started to learn through experimentation. Four years later she opened her own studio. Hanna grew up surrounded by the silence of snowy hills and fields in blossom. Her work is not linked to a specific territory, but to untouched areas and stillness. As a self-taught artisan she has a strong respect for her material and for traditions and techniques. Hanna also strives for her work to carry a deeper meaning, and the reason why an object was created must shine through.

Interview

©Anna Wallendahr

©Anna Wallendahr

Do you master any specific techniques?

All my ceramic sculptures are made using ancient techniques, such as coiling and slab building, approached with respect for tradition. While clay remains my primary material, I also incorporate textiles and wood, integrating them into my work to expand the forms and textures of my sculptural language.

What defines your work?

I respect the material, clay, in its natural state, letting its refined tones and textures remain visible. I bring innovation through the way I shape the material, explore contrasts on surfaces, and combine forms. I also work with other natural materials, always guided by the same attention to material honesty and tactility.

Is there something about your work that people do not usually know?

Rootlessness fascinates me. I need constant change. My works are born for example in a shelter in Lapland or in an abandoned house in the archipelago. Inspiration arises from my inner world, my works are personal journeys – places and phases of life made visible.

Is there a memorable moment in your professional life?

In 2023, I moved to an abandoned, 1870s house for 5 months to work. No running water, no heating, not even floors or windows in some of the rooms. I cooked on an open fire, took showers under the open sky. I wanted to challenge myself and the ways to work. It was hard. But it changed me and the experience is present in my works.

Hanna Heino is a rising star: she began her career in 2019

Works

©Hanna Heino

©Anna Wallendahr

©Hanna Heino

Where