Milena Pirštelienė

Ceramicist

©Kamile Pirstelyte-Virbicianske

©Vetre Antanaviciute

Ceramic pictures of dreams in black and white

Milena finds the labyrinth of memories and dreams fascinating
Minimalist forms create a deeper meaning to her
She tends to focus on landscape images

Milena Pirštelienė has been working with ceramics since the 1990s. She is a member of the Lithuanian Artists' Union, and her works have been presented and have won international awards in more than 50 exhibitions in Lithuania and abroad. Her ceramics combine fine and applied art: graphic drawing, the picturesque blending of colours, and architectural, sculptural forms. In 2017, Milena discovered a distinctive technique of drawing on ceramic surfaces, allowing her to create a three-dimensional, graphic visual effect. Milena's works often feature landscapes, sometimes specific or imagined cities. Other times the pieces portray landscapes of nature. Although the world she depicts is often devoid of people, shadows of individual passers-by and unknown characters appear in some of her works. These works are strictly shaped and dominated by a combination of the artist's favourite white clay and black pigment, reminiscent of a dream or photograph.

Interview

©Kamile Pirstelyte-Virbicianske

©Kamile Pirstelyte-Virbicianske

What interests you most about your work?: I am most interested in experimentation, as well as the element of surprise. Ceramics give me a unique opportunity to add a three-dimensional form to a drawing.
Do you have a particular technique?: The technique that makes my work stand out is drawing on the surface of the ceramic object. I draw using pigment, with pencil, fingers, eraser... The drawn object is fired, and the result is like a painting, a graphic work or a photograph.
What are the predominant motifs in your work?: Often in my work, I go back to the past, immersing myself in memories or capturing dreams and the symbols that appear in them. Dreams are an integral part of our lives. They reflect the details of our lives, our hidden fears or aspirations.
What inspires you most?: I am drawn to self-reflection and trying to 'wander' into the past as if you were flipping through an album of black and white photographs. Trying to listen to what the subconscious suggests to me and the themes it dictates. It is interesting to weave together my personal experiences and the environment around me to create my own symbolism.

Milena Pirštelienė is an expert artisan: she began her career in 1990