Monika Skorupska

Mosco Ceramics

Ceramicist

©Karo Lewandowska

©Aleks and Charles

©Pawel Heppner

©Irina Grishina.

A celebration of colour

Monika's products are finished with real gold
She looks for inspiration in flea markets
She embraces a love of painting in her designs

It's clear when looking at the works of Monika Skorupska that they were made by an artistic soul. Explosions of colour, connected in a picturesque way, makes you wonder if they are objects for everyday use or decorative items. “I have always felt great about painting and I am a sworn colourist. These ceramics are a result of my affection for colours," she says. "However, my techniques come from traditional pottery.” Her interest in ceramics started at an after-school class. After that, she went to art school, followed by the Academy of Fine Arts. “Despite the fact that I went in this direction educationally, I didn’t think about ceramics that seriously at the time. I considered many ideas and ways of expression in between. This is the one I can wrap my head around,” she laughs.

Interview

©Karo Lewandowska

©Karo Lewandowska

When did ceramics become your main focus?: A year after graduation I started making jewellery. It was an activity that I could do anywhere, without a proper workshop. Ceramics came back to me once I opened my own studio. With the right space I decided to focus all my energy on it. That was four years ago.
How do you use real gold in your works?: Gilding porcelain is a centuries-old technique. Liquid gold is applied with a brush and then fired in a kiln to ensure its permanence. For a coating to be shiny it must be a very thin layer. To contrast with the gilded part I leave the outside part unglazed. This gives an interesting visual effect.
Where do you find inspiration?: Everywhere. It can even be a fragment of a wall or a frame I've seen somewhere. I like flea markets, where I mostly look for shapes. But it's colour combinations that, to me, are most essential. I look to painting; I love abstract art. Being an experienced ceramicist also helps me find creative solutions.
What makes a piece well made?: Always fresh, always up to date. While it might seem like my work is that of a perfectionist, this is not quite the case. I think the human hand wasn't necessarily 'made' to create perfect things, and so this isn't what I am looking for in my designs.

Monika Skorupska is a rising star: she began her career in 2017