Treats is an artwork composed of 140 unique ceramic pieces. Like most of the ceramic wall pieces I have created in recent years, Treats is intended to be explored both visually and through gentle touch.
In the pieces, I have extensively used a variety of materials and techniques from different historical periods and cultures of ceramics. For example, several different commercial clays, rare domestic kaolin I dug up myself from Northern Finland, porcelain clay I mixed myself, red clay from the Koria brick factory, various self-developed glazes, as well as ancient-style anagama wood-fired kiln firing.
By combining different materials and techniques, the work creates a kind of temporal and geographical map expressed through ceramics.
The combination of different colors and shapes in Treats offers endless possibilities for visual exploration, whether up close or from a distance. The experience and comparison of various forms and surface textures by gently touching with the fingertips also provides a delightful tactile exploration.
The artwork was displayed in the spring of 2025 at the ”On senses” collaborative exhibition organized by the Finnish Museum of Craft and Artists O, which, to my delight, attracted over 10,000 visitors during its run.
Materials: Various stoneware clays, porcelain, red clay, wild kaolin from Kainuu, underglaze colors, engobes, glazes, glass
Size: 160 x 190 cm
photos: Craft Museum of Finland/Anni Ilves & Laura Pehkonen