London

Judit Lantos

Ceramicist | Szentendre, Hungary

Every firing a new discovery

Judit makes custom tableware for restaurants to serve the 'gastro boom'
Her handmade ceramic jewellery collection features gold accents
She is constantly trying out new glazes and techniques

Judit Lantos wanted to work with clay for as long as she can remember, but her parents encouraged her to study decorative leather working instead. After graduating, she returned to pottery and worked as an apprentice for five years, soaking up everything she could about the craft. In 2000, she received the funds from her parents to established her own workshop and has not looked back since. "In the decade that followed, there was something of a gastro boom," Judit explains, "not only in Hungary, but all over Europe." This extended beyond food, into dining experience and décor, including tableware. Responding to this new demand, Judit began serving restaurants with custom tableware. Since then, she has also started making custom jewellery, always with an experimental approach in the finishes, turning to glazing and gilding among others.

Interview

How would you define your style?: I like to think I combine northern European simplicity with a southern temperament, so my tableware is always functional while being unmistakably handmade. Depending on the requirements of the client, my work spans everything from the bohemian to classical elegance.
How do you go about making a set of tableware?: I try to find out everything I can about the task at hand, including what the owner’s vision is, what the restaurant will look like, and the kinds of dishes they will serve. This often takes place online these days, but I tend to pay the client a personal visit if I can.
What specific techniques do you use?: Printing, etching, painting, you name it. I am always trying out new glazes and materials, such as Murano glass. I constantly read books and blogs in search of new ideas. Every time I put something in the kiln is an experiment.
What advice would you give to someone just starting out as a ceramicist?: I would say that although there are many more people making pottery, the market is also a lot bigger and there are many more opportunities. The availability of materials is also much greater nowadays, so gather all the information you can and start experimenting.

Judit Lantos is an expert artisan: she began her career in 2000