Paula Atelier

Paula Martinsson grew up in Falkenberg, a small town on the west coast of Sweden. Now the 27 year old lives in Gothenburg and has already made a name for herself in the ceramic world as Paula Atelier, despite only being in her second year of a Ceramic Art Bachelor Degree at HDK-Valand, following one year of preparatory school learning the basics of ceramics.

Paula told us that she had always had a passion for aesthetics and loved to create in one way or another. After studying graphic design and learning the ropes as an interior stylist and designer she "had some sort of midlife crisis" and didn't know what it was that she really wanted to do. She had a job that she really didn't like; it paid well but wasn't fulfilling, so Paula decided to use the money she'd been earning to rent a studio spot and learn how to throw.

Now Paula creates beautiful organic shapes from clay, influenced by movement and her surroundings; she cites both nature and people as inspirations. The smoothed surfaces of her beautiful blobs haven't been smoothed to perfection so as to leave a trace of the handmade, and Paula often uses the natural, unglazed colour of the clay as a backdrop to her simple, yet striking patterns, formed of lines and dots.

Her working method echoes the forms of her work; organic and playful. Sometimes Paula will draw ideas out in a sketchpad, and sometimes she will just have the impulse to create something that is big or small, straight or wavy, and will take it from there. She told me that one day she can hate everything she makes and other days she will never want to leave the studio.

For Paula, her house has recently had to become her studio because of Coronavirus. She's not enjoying this way of working and can't wait to get back to the studio at her school.

To see more of Paula's stunning sculptures, click here to take a look at her Instagram page, and to purchase a piece for yourself, head to The Ode To who ship throughout Europe.