Anna Westerlund

Ceramicist

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Bridging cultures through ceramics

Anna has always felt the urge to create using her hands
Her work falls between folklore and minimalism
She is influenced by her Swedish-Portuguese background

Travelling and discovering different cultures has always played an important role in Anna Westerlund’s life. Firstly because she was born to a Swedish father and a Portuguese mother, so from an early age she was accustomed to moving from one country to another, immersing herself in different cultures. Later in life she became a model, a profession that led her to explore many cities and take in all that she experienced. “During my travels, I went to all the art galleries and craft exhibitions I could. When I got back after one of these trips, I changed from doing a marketing degree at university to studying ceramics at ARCO Art School in Lisbon,” she says. In 2012 she opened a workshop in Lisbon and created her own brand.

Interview

Why did you choose to express yourself through craft?
Because I have always loved crafts and knew that only working with something handmade would make me happy. Even when I was at school, the most exiting moment for me was when we used to prepare for the annual exhibition.
How is your work connected to your origins?
Being half Portuguese and half Swedish, I think my work has acquired these two languages: one that has more of a folk flavour, mixed with another that is more minimalist in design. I am always on the lookout for new sources of inspiration and creative challenges.
What do you love most about your profession?
That no day is the same and that I can reinvent myself when I want. I can keep pushing myself forward to try new ideas and materials. Not many people are aware of the fact that the process to get to the finished piece is quite hard and long, requiring a lot of work and with little room for mistakes.
How important is it to collaborate with well known brands?
Very. I am always on the lookout for new sources of inspiration and creative challenges. Perhaps the most memorable was my collaboration with the US brand Anthropolgie, who invited me to design an exclusive set of pieces playing with patterns, colours and fabrics.

Anna Westerlund is an expert artisan: she began her career in 2010