Hana Karim Haval, ceramic artist

Hana and her beautiful work

I have liked and shared Hana’s work on Instagram for as long as I have had my account, I am sure. Her eye for colour is incredible and her flat-lays are to die for. It has been so lovely to find out more about her. Read on…

Who are you?

I’m Hana Karim Haval, I'm a ceramic artist based in Ljubljana, Slovenia. I grew up in a family of artists, so making things with hands and being surrounded by artwork has always been a very natural part of my life. I specialise in creating tableware and artwork, all marked by vibrant colours and freeform shapes. My studio is located in the heart of a very urban area, where I'm trying to create a calm and welcoming environment for slow, mindful processes of ceramics. Some of these experiences I also share through workshops with students from all around the world.

Why do you also have a thing with ceramics?

Absolutely, and it seems to be a lifelong obsession. I love how unpredictable ceramics can be. Even after a decade of being a professional maker and more than 25 years since my first encounter with the kiln, there is always an element that remains outside of your control. This feature is what makes me never bored and leaves me wanting to know more. Clay moves, glazes react, kilns behave differently from one sshelf to another. There is always something new to discover.

When did ceramics come into your life?

When I was 10, my mum got a kiln. We had it in our family garden, so she was able to do raku safely. It was an older model, but I was immediately mesmerised by how one an object goes inside and emerges out some hours later completely different. This metamorphosis could evoke curiosity in anyone, but as a child, you can imagine the awe I was in.

I first started working seriously with ceramics during my studies and eventually completed a Master’s degree in Art Teaching, specialising in miniature ceramic sculpture. I was already teaching workshops before opening my own studio, but 2016 was really the turning point. That was when I opened my studio in Ljubljana and ceramics became the centre of my everyday life and creative practice.

Where can we find you on a typical day?

Most likely somewhere in my "kiln room" or my "clay room", although exactly where depends on the day. I might be making objects, mixing glazes, checking pieces coming out of the kiln, discussing orders with my studio team or sitting at my computer answering emails. Running a ceramics studio means constantly moving between very physical, hands-on work and the less romantic side of running a business. My studio is also a theatre - Clay Theatre, run by my husband, so on some days we push the tables to the walls and have 100 people listening to music concerts or watching a play amongst my tools and objects. Safe to say, no two days are quite the same.

What are your plans for the future?

This year was important for me - I opened my first solo exhibition of solely artistic ceramics at Ljubljana Castle. For this show I started seriously discovering scale in ceramics and also how I can basically paint with glazes. I'm a painter but I want to use ceramics for my medium. I’d like to work on more site-specific projects and larger-scale installations, while continuing to experiment with colour, surface and form. At the same time, I want to keep developing the studio as a place for making, learning and sharing ceramics with people from around the world.