Tatiana Petrov -  Nelson BC Canada

I see my work as a continuation of a very old relationship: human hands shaping earth. Ceramics has been around forever, and I find comfort in that. I'm not trying to make objects that are flashy or trendy. I want them to feel solid and honest - like they belong in the world without needing to explain themselves too much.

I make large ceramic pieces because I love the physicality of it - the weight, the resistance of the clay, and the way my whole body has to get involved in the making process. Working at this scale feels natural to me. It allows me to engage with the material in a way that’s both grounding and energizing. There's something about shaping a piece that's huggable in size that just feels right.

In the end, I hope that my pieces hold a kind of quiet presence. Something that invites touch, curiosity, and maybe even a moment of stillness. If they remind someone of a place they love, a feeling they’ve had in nature, or even just the beauty of raw material, then I feel like I’ve done my job.