Deep Earth
Renata Catena – handmade ceramics
I am still at the beginning of my path in ceramics, but I have already realized that it transforms me more than I transform the clay.
This collection was born from a process that was more intuitive than technical. I named it Deep Earth because that was exactly the feeling I had while making these pieces: the desire to go deeper, to create something with layers, texture, and presence.
There are four cups, all made by hand, one by one, with very free forms. I did not use a wheel or a mold. Some became more open, others more closed, and I liked that. I connect with the idea that pieces do not need to be perfect to be beautiful. They only need to be true.
The inspiration came from the Japanese tea ceremony, which I started studying some time ago. I do not understand everything about it yet, but there is something there that touches me deeply: the care, the silence, and the respect for simple gestures.
This became even clearer to me after creating the two vases from the collection Silence and Gesture, which were born from the same inspiration.
In these cups I used a vibrant glaze on the inside, a turquoise tone that reminds me of still water. On the outside the finish is more rustic. The recipe includes ash and other organic materials. I like to use elements that have already passed through fire.
The firing brought tones of earth, gray, and rust. Each piece reacted in its own way.
I would not be able to reproduce them exactly. And I do not think I want to. That is part of the process.
I learned that in Japan there is a concept called wabi-sabi, which speaks about the beauty of imperfection. That idea set me free. I like to think that each piece carries its own time and its own path.
These cups are not meant to stay still on a shelf. They are meant to be used. Felt. With tea, with calm, with presence.
I still have a lot to learn. But every piece I make also teaches me something about myself.
Deep Earth — 深い土 (Fukai Tsuchi)
Earth, time, and silence.
Japanese inspirations
- 侘寂 (Wabi-sabi) — the beauty of the imperfect and impermanent
- 渋い (Shibui) — quiet elegance with depth
- 湯のみ (Yunomi) — everyday Japanese tea cups
- 茶の湯 (Chanoyu) — the tea ceremony