My mother was an archeologist, so I grew up surrounded by replicas of ancient pottery at home. Every time we went to a history museum, I would get a lecture on all the knowledge you can get from ceramic remains. Though I will be honest, I don’t think I paid enough attention to her at the time. But by a stroke of fate, I started getting interested in historic pottery a couple of years ago. I have always been drawn to expressing myself through visual means, and photography has been my passion for a long time. But after moving to the US, my spark for it had greatly diminished, which eventually led me to take my first pottery class. After taking a hand-building course, I knew I had found something I deeply connected with. The tactile sensation as you handle the clay while the pot emerges underneath your fingertips is a truly magical experience. Since then, I have been experimenting with different shapes and techniques in the search for my voice as a ceramic artist.
I create a combination of functional and decorative pieces. I aim to create either playful or stand-out pieces, whether it’s something you put on a shelf or it is something you eat out of. I am a firm believer that everyday objects can be art. I draw inspiration from ancient pottery and organic shapes with a more contemporary look. The main techniques I use are coil-and-pinch and slab-building.
Bio
Karina was born in Sofia, Bulgaria, and moved to the US in 2015. She has a degree in European Studies (an interdisciplinary major in political science and sociology with an emphasis on the EU) and a degree in Media Studies. However, her more recent work experience has been in management in the food sector. In 2023, in the search for a new hobby, she took her first pottery class for her birthday and was instantly hooked. She has taken since then a couple of classes at Clay King and has attended several online workshops. She hopes to pursue ceramics professionally. She also has experience in photography.
Instagram: manukari.ceramics
Member since 2024
