Embla Sigurgeirsdóttir

Ceramicist

©Oscar Bjarnason

Searching for harmony

Embla plays with the transparency of the clay
Her pieces are shaped by her environment
Making is often a form of meditation

When Embla Sigurgeirsdóttir came to ceramics at a crossroads in her life, she took a chance along the road of earth and fire. Through working with clay, she has created the life she wants with her own hands. In her studio, a stone’s throw from Hafnarfjarðar Marina, she creates beautifully balanced pieces inspired by the Icelandic landscape. She uses the fragility of porcelain to her advantage; she carefully carves their surface creating patterns that come to life in changing light. The alluring whiteness of porcelain brings challenges, she explains to work with it successfully “you have to communicate with the clay, listen to it”.

Interview

©Oscar Bjarnason

©Oscar Bjarnason

How is your craft connected to your homeland?: In Iceland we are dramatically affected by the contrast between light and darkness. I play with this contrast using patterns, colours and shadow. In my lanterns the carving of the clay goes right through the surface letting beams of light escape the form.
What is special about the material you work with?: It roots you, you start with a piece of earth and mould it into anything you want. In my mind it is the true core of creating. Porcelain has the ability to look fragile, so thin it is translucent, yet it is strong. I love this contradiction.
Do you always have a plan when you make?: New ideas are always coming to you, they constantly nudge you when you are working and porcelain has the tendency to go its own way. It can sometimes be a little difficult so you need to work with it in a collaborative way.
What do you love most about your profession?: Working and creating at my workshop makes me feel whole and somehow gives me a sense of belonging. It has helped me to grow and learn every day. It has taught me patience and serenity. It gives me the ability to push myself as an artist.

Embla Sigurgeirsdóttir is an expert artisan: she began her career in 2014