About
Hi! My name is Mariana and I’m a ceramic artist based in Vancouver, BC. My journey with clay begun back in 2015, when I enrolled my first ceramic class during art school. Little did I know then that this medium would capture my heart so completely, shaping a significant part of who I am today.
I hold a bachelor’s degree in Visual Arts from the University of Campinas, in Brazil, where I’m originally from. Throughout five years of studies, I delved into various contemporary artistic mediums, with ceramics holding a special place in my creative exploration. After graduating in 2020, my husband and I took a huge step in our lives and decided to move to Canada the same year.
Few years later, as the pandemic eased up, I found myself drawn back to pottery, enrolling in a community studio class as a simple pastime. It brought back to me the delightful feeling of getting muddy and creating cool objects with my very own hands. Soon, my friends and followers showed great interest in buying my work. This overwhelming response inspired me to establish my own small-batch ceramics brand, Mariana Ceramics, and sell it to the public on markets, Instagram and a store more recently.
From vases and mugs to plates and bowls, my creations blend hand-built and wheel-thrown techniques. Inspired by the mesmerizing allure of the ocean, I dive into creating pieces that echo its fluidity and capture the changing rhythm of waves, inviting a slice of that beautiful and intriguing rhythm into everyday life. Infusing each piece with an abstract aesthetic, I delve into exploring organic lines and harmonizing hues of blues, greens and whites, creating a visual symphony reminiscent of my coastal memories.
Nowadays you can find me creating at my home studio in East Van, working as a studio assistant at MiMOKO Ceramics (another talented artist based in Vancouver as well), climbing with friends and cuddling with my kitty cat Milo.
I feel grateful to make durable, timeless and funcional art, beautiful to look at, satisfying to hold, inspired by nature and proudly made in Vancouver, British Columbia. You can check a bit of my muddy creative process and behind the scenes on my Instagram @marianaceramics.
Also, thanks for being here!
Love, Mari.
FAQ - Frequent Asked Questions
Where can I buy your ceramics?
Through my Etsy page! If you live in Vancouver BC, local pick-up is available in East Vancouver or hand delivery can be discussed.
How do I care for my ceramics?
I recommend that all of my pieces be washed by hand just to ensure longevity. But it won’t be the end of the world if you put in the dishwasher every now and then.
Thermal shock is the greatest risk to ceramics. Use extra caution when placing stoneware in the oven. It is recommended to preheat oven with the dish present, do not put a cold dish in a hot oven. Do not use on stove top or grill.
Over time glazes will develop a history. As they are used, certain foods and oils can cause colours to shift. If your ceramics get marked by soft metal silverware you can hand wash them using a good scrubber with baking soda or Vim to help remove marks.
Pots live and die in use. Don't be afraid to enjoy them.
Is this safe to eat on? Can I put into the microwave?
Yes, my glazes are food safe and and the pieces are microwave safe. Some glazes, more often matte surfaces develop a history with time by taking on oils and spices through use, but this does not affect their food safety.
Ceramic Glossary
Here’s a detailed look at the common terms and processes involved in my work, focusing on the methods I use to bring each piece to life.
- Pottery Techniques:
Throwing: Shaping clay on a potter's wheel. I center the stoneware clay on the wheel and use my hands and tools to form it into shapes, such as mugs, bowls, and plates. Throwing allows me to create symmetrical and functional pieces.
Hand building: Creating pottery without a wheel using hands and simple tools.
- Sub-techniques:
Pinching: Forming the clay by pinching it between fingers, often used for making small bowls and cups.
Coiling: Rolling clay into long ropes and stacking them to build larger forms, which are then smoothed out.
Slab building: Rolling clay into flat slabs and cutting and assembling them to create geometric shapes and freeform designs.
- Clay bodies I use:
Cream-white clay (Laguna B-Mix): Cream coloured porcelain textured stoneware. A type of stoneware clay fired at mid to high temperatures. I use white stoneware clay exclusively for its bright and clean appearance. Fired to cone 6 (about 2232°F or 1222°C), it is durable and non-porous, making it ideal for functional ware. Its natural white color provides a beautiful canvas for glazes and underglazes.
Speckled clay (Plainsman M340-S): Smooth buff burning stoneware with manganese speckle (little brown dots), that usually bleeds up through glazes. A little bit darker than the previous one.
Coffee clay (Plainsman Coffee): Dark brown clay. Mid-Fire Coffee Black is a powerful naturally-occurring pigmented clay. The umber fluxes the body so that it vitrifies at cone 6. It is smooth and easy to throw. It accepts glazes very well.
- Stages and Firings:
Leather-hard: The stage of clay when it has dried enough to be firm but is still pliable. This is the ideal stage for trimming, carving and attaching additional elements without distorting the shape.
Greenware: Unfired pottery that is completely dry and ready for bisque firing. At this stage, the clay is most fragile and must be handled with care.
Bisque Firing: The first firing of pottery to harden the clay. This process removes moisture and prepares the piece for glazing. Bisque firing occurs at a lower temperature, making the pottery easier to handle and glaze.
Glaze Firing: The second firing, where glazed bisque ware is fired to the final temperature. I fire my pieces to cone 6 in an electric kiln. This process melts the glaze into a smooth, glossy, satin or matte finish, sealing the pottery and adding beautiful color and texture.
Vitrification: The process during firing where the clay body becomes non-porous and glass-like. Firing stoneware to cone 6 achieves vitrification, making the pottery strong and suitable for everyday use.
- Glazes:
Glossy Glaze: A shiny, reflective surface finish. Ideal for mugs and plates, creating a bright, smooth surface that is easy to clean and enhances the underglaze colors.
Matte Glaze: A non-reflective, soft finish. Provides a modern, understated look, often used for more rustic or contemporary pieces.
- Decorative Techniques:
Underglazing: Applying coloured decoration to bisque ware before glazing. This technique provides vibrant, detailed designs that are protected by a clear glaze.
Sgraffito: A technique where potters can put a layer of underglaze or slip on a piece of leather-hard pottery, let it dry, then use a pottery carving tool to scratch at it to show the base layer of color. Sgraffito derives from an Italian word meaning “to scratch.” I usually use this technique to make organic and wavy lines on plates, bowls and mugs.