Lina Pardo Cárdenas

Ceramicist

©Lina Pardo

Local clay for big thinking

Lina uses clay from the hills where she lives
She has refined her work thanks to discoveries while travelling
She is currently exploring abstract image printing on handmade paper

Basic, undervalued and abundant, clay is transformed into meaningful, sculptural works and functional homeware by Lina Pardo’s hands. Her deep search for symbolism originated in her youth, in a big family where curiosity and freedom for exploration were encouraged. During an introspective gap year in Paris as a newly graduated anthropologist, Lina realised that clay was her real calling. It had been at the heart of her family all along, starting with her grandparents' brick business and her father’s work on ceramic pipelines. Today, Lina lives in her childhood home, in the foothills of Bogotá’s mountains, where clay is abundant. She draws much of her inspiration from the collective memory of her roots, ever-present in her work.

Interview

©Lina Pardo

©Lina Pardo

What was a significant milestone in your journey as a ceramicist?: Working at the Creative Arts Workshops in New Haven, USA during a short relocation with my husband. Thanks to the openness and knowledge sharing there, I was able to formulate glazes that I am proud to still be using today. Once back in Colombia, I decided to share my newfound knowledge and opened a materials shop in my studio.
What are your sources of inspiration?: I am moved by the serenity of the domestic scene and value utilitarian elements, especially the bowl as a symbol of reciprocity and abundance. It becomes the cherished object of an everyday routine. Bogotá’s eastern hills are also a major inspiration which I represent as sculptural elements.
In what ways do you innovate?: I have an inquisitive mind that cannot stand being idle. I find several ways of doing the same thing, through observation and peripheral vision. William Kentridge calls this the “outer edges,” where answers also reside.
What is a memorable moment in your work life?: I had the opportunity to attend a workshop with Julian Stair who had been invited by Artesanías de Colombia. He is a major source of inspiration as he was one of the few who created functional rather than sculptural ceramics at that time.

Lina Pardo Cárdenas is a master artisan: she began her career in 1982 and she started teaching in 1985