When buds blossom
- Viola Anna specialises in reduced ceramics
- Her pieces are handshaped with strong textures
- She set up her workshop, Cukrasāta, with her husband
Viola Anna Bīriņa’s road to ceramics has been a long and a winding one. Several degress, a life in Prague, lecturing at a University… No matter what she is doing, she always finds a creative approach. When she married ceramicist Staņislavs Viļums and moved to the countryside, she slowly started to try her ceramics. As an apprentice, she learned the ancient, local techniques of pottery making, and developed her own style. At first, her works were criticised as they were far away from the conventional perception of the Latgalian pottery. But she continued to develop her style and gained recognition for her unique vision of centuries-old pottery traditions. It is as Viola Anna says: “Traditions are like roots, innovations are like buds, blossoming every spring.” And she continues to make her creations blossom for the 13th year already.
Interview
- What is your educational background?
- I could describe it as a synergy of many art forms. I graduated from the Folk Music Department of Latvian Academy of Music as a violinist. Then gained a master’s in Cultural Theory too. But I learnt my craft from a master of ceramics - my husband. I would say that the best teacher are the experiences we have.
- Why do you specialise in reduction firing ceramics?
- When I first saw the dishes of black ceramics, I was fascinated right away. I became very interested and started to actively travel to workshops, buy the pottery, until I had a big collection. It turned out that most of the dishes were made by Staņislavs Viļums. With time, we met and got married.
- When did you start to work with clay yourself?
- When I moved to the countryside, my previous professional experiences had no use there. I visited the workshop to observe the process of pottery making. It was like a meditation for me. I realised what kind of ceramics I wanted in our house, and started to make the pottery myself.
- How is your craft linked to the region?
- For centuries Latgale has been known for its traditions as a region where there are many potters. As there was no suitable land for agriculture, but a heavy, loamy soil, it was perfect for making ceramics. That’s how the craft of the potter found its place here.
Viola Anna Bīriņa is an expert artisan: she began her career in 2007
Where
Viola Anna Bīriņa
