Marianne Huotari

Ceramicist

©Hanna Kaketti

©Anna Autio

©Hanna Kaketti

©Anna Autio

Sewing with ceramics

Marianne is a trail blazer, exploring new ways to use and create in clay
She makes poetical wall sculptures
She mediates textile into ceramics

Marianne Huotari is a young and passionate textile and ceramic artist, who has found a unique way to create textile rugs from clay. All of her delicate yet beautiful works have been thoroughly crafted with patience and precision to detail. From her first ever object of an oven pan into the magical world of wall decorations, her pieces have received praise and awe among home décor fans. Her soul yearns to express traditions alongside timeless beauty – something that we can all stop to look at every now and then. Without any formal training, she has explored and self-mastered the material and techniques, and found her own very expressive way to call herself a ceramicist. She has exhibited her pieces in Finland, as well as far flung places such as the US, Japan and Korea. Currently she is the youngest artisan to be a member of the famous Arabia Art Department Society in Helsinki.

Interview

©Anna Autio

©Anna Autio

What do you love most about your profession?: When I get into the flow of creation – when I catch the wave. Every time I start the process of sewing, making my work visible from the ether, I can just sit for hours and work peacefully in my own little world. I love creating for myself but I also love sharing my work with others.
What techniques do you use?: I hand sew ceramic pieces with a metal wire that can withhold the heat in the furnace. When I burn the ceramic pieces in the furnace it is magical to take out the pieces and realise how they all have different hues. This makes my works also livelier and more interesting to watch.
What inspires you?: I am very inspired by Henri Matisse paintings about the past – they are about a time when craft was still in fashion and highly looked up to. I'm very fond of the aesthetics of old objects and circumstances such as the villas, salon life, gardens, architecture, objects, etc. The time when you are present to see the beauty around you.
What does well made mean to you?: That the quality and the piece has been thoroughly thought through. It is important that the final piece is well put together and will not collapse. This also allows me to enjoy the experience and not get caught up so much in the technical problems.

Marianne Huotari is a rising star: she began her career in 2016