clay is an endless exploration, a play between control and surrender, a dialogue between hand and material. It’s an intimate dance, guided by intuition, emotion, the human touch, and the beauty of letting go.
my work celebrates the natural identity of clay, highlighting its organic textures and forms through mark-making - like wind, water, and sand shaping the earth, my surfaces carry movement and depth. I draw inspiration from nature, architecture, art, and music, collecting mental notes of everyday objects with striking silhouettes to reimagine in clay.
each piece is hand-built using the pinch and coil method—a slow, meditative process that connects me to the ancient tradition while infusing a modern sensibility. I embrace irregularity, allowing the my body to guide the form, making every vessel unique.
vessels in texture is a working series in my exploration of form and surface texture. initially inspired by rugged landscapes, the pieces have evolved into sculptural shapes shifting over time.. today I aim to embody the spontaneous energy of creation, where play and intention meet.
tania whalen is a british ceramic artist from london. she is currently based in the US and works from her studio in brooklyn, ny. prior to this she lived in tokyo for almost two decades and it was here that the philosophies of ikigai and wabisabi shaped her aesthetic. it wasn’t until she moved to the states that she found herself in a pottery class and her journey with clay began.
her vessels are sold in select stores in the US and online worldwide, and can be found in private collections in the USA, Europe, the Middle East and Asia.
tania’s work has been featured in Elle Decoration Spain “La Ceramica Habla” Ceramics Speak, and in Arquictectura y Diseno ‘En Toda su Crudeza’ In all its rawness, written by Itziar Narro for the creators section.