Forging bonds in rural Asturias
- Natalia makes ceramic objects that communicate empowering symbolism
- Her geometric vase collections are a fusion of digital techniques and handcrafting
- She showcased her work at Révélations Paris in 2025
Ceramics offer Natalia Suarez a powerful form of expression that merges disciplines and harnesses her prior experience in art direction. Born in Asturias, northern Spain, Natalia earned a bachelor of fine arts with a specialisation in design from the University of Barcelona in 2000. Her career began in the advertising sector, where she worked in product design and branding until 2016. She returned to Asturias the following year with an additional degree in artistic ceramics from the Lotja School of Arts and Crafts in Barcelona. Working in collaboration with other artists, artisans and creative organisations, Natalia is gradually steering her practice towards a mixed media exploration involving wood, yarn and wicker. "My return to Asturias has been an opportunity to reconcile with my rural roots, embrace family life and enjoy the freedom to make," she says.
Interview
- How has Asturias become a source of creativity for you?
- Asturias, like most of northern Spain, has deep ties to the land through agriculture and mining. In my youth, I found its roughness stifling and left in search of broader perspectives. Returning now, I have learned to value its resources and have discovered new materials and a creative community to work with.
- Does your practice aim to convey a message?
- I came to ceramics with a process-driven approach from my background in art direction, which still shapes my work today. My creation The Golden Nipple, a totem honouring motherhood, unexpectedly became the centrepiece of a collaboration with Teta y Teta, a non-profit campaign aimed at desexualising breasts, and is my most known work. It is a piece I continue to produce today.
- How are collaborations shaping your craft?
- I have found in collaborations and association an essential support as I navigate new materials and techniques. They provide insight and diverse perspectives. My co-creators include ceramicist Raúl Mouro, illustrator Inés Iglesias, and basket maker José González, as well as photographer Lorena Grandio, among others. I also explore wood through exchanges with my father and brother who work in carpentry and decoration.
- What projects are on the horizon for you?
- Mastery is not given, it is cultivated. That idea is at the heart of Destreza, the residency programme I am working on, following the expansion of my studio in the Asturian countryside. My drive to exchange knowledge is a calling. I feel compelled to share this with the world. I believe Destreza will become a generator of connections.
Natalia Suarez is a rising star: she began her career in 2017 and she started teaching in 2022
Where
Natalia Suarez
