ABOUT ME

MY NAME IS LENA HARMS, BORN ON 6.6.1988 IN MUNICH. ORIGINALLY COMING FROM THE FIELD OF PRODUCT DESIGN, I NOW WORK WITH CLAY FOR ABOUT 7 YEARS. MY PIECES ARE MADE EXCLUSIVELY IN COIL- AND SLAB TECHNIQUE. I RARELY USE GLAZES AS I LOVE TO DESIGN WITH INLAYS OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF CLAY. THIS JAPANESE TECHNIQUE IS CALLED NERIKOMI AND EACH OF MY PIECES, EVEN MY TEA- AND COFFEE CUPS, BECOMES A WORK OF ART IN ITS OWN RIGHT, NEARLY LIKE A PAINTING. IN THIS WAY I WANT TO LET THE CLAY BE PERCEPTIBLE AS A NATURAL MATERIAL AND HIGHLIGHTING ITS RAW BEAUTY.

MY INSPIRATION IS NATURE AND ITS SHAPES AND COLORS, BUT ALSO ITS ROUGHNESS AND EARTHINESS AND THE CONTRASTS IN IT. I AM ALSO CONSTANTLY INSPIRED BY THE COLORS AND PATTERNS OF TRADITIONAL CRAFT TECHNIQUES FROM OTHER CULTURES.

MY WORKS ARE AN EXPRESSION OF MY DEEP LONGING FOR THE DIFFERENT LIFE CLOSE TO, AND IN HARMONY WITH NATURE, THAT I WOULD LIKE TO LIVE, AND THAT I SO OFTEN MISS IN THE CITY. EACH ORNAMENT SYMBOLIZES THE PERPETUAL SEARCH FOR MY OWN IDENTITY AND THE LONGING FOR THE EXOTIC, THE WILD AND FREE LIFE.

IN TODAYS HECTIC WORLD, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A STATEMENT WITH MY SLOW WAY OF WORKING. AS A DESIGNER, I HAVE BEEN FAMILIARIZED WITH MASS PRODUCTION AND HAVE CONCIOUSLY DECIDED AGAINST IT. EACH OF MY PIECES IS CREATED IN PEACE AND DELIBERATION.