ELISA

A raw, almost archetypal teacup, carved and hollowed by hand from a solid block of black clay using the Japanese kurinuki technique. The angular planes, uneven rim and visible marks of hands and tools allow the making process to remain present in the finished piece.

The cup is covered in Elisa Yellow glaze and fired in a wood-fuelled anagama kiln. Here, intense heat, flames, wood ash and the shifting atmosphere of the kiln have transformed the glaze, creating a vivid landscape of warm ochre, muted grey-green tones, fine cracks and tiny craters. At the foot, the raw black clay remains visible — a quiet reminder of where the piece began.

Held in the hands, ELISA reveals its character slowly. Fingers encounter carved planes, softened ridges and scarred surfaces; turn the cup, and the landscape changes from light and golden to darker and more untamed.

It is perfect in its rawness. The worn edges and fractured lines make it appear as though it already carries the traces of a life lived — not as damage to be concealed, but as experience held within the body.

A collaboration between hand, clay and fire. Sculptural, tactile and entirely one of a kind.