Hanne Bertelsen

A playground for glazes

• Hanne's aesthetic is distinctly nordic
• She was introduced to working with clay as a child
• Her experience is lifelong and technically advanced

Very few people discover their niche in childhood, but Danish ceramicist Hanne Bertelsen is one of them. It was love at first “throw” when she joined a clay course in primary school, and she went on to study ceramics at the Danish School of Design. After graduating in 1991, she immediately established her Copenhagen workshop where she has expanded her modern, curious and clean ceramic and porcelain assortment ever since. Permanence, however, only applies to her passionate work ethic. As far as Bertelsen’s aesthetic goes, it continues to explore the organic movements and tactile swiftness of nordic nature.

Interview

©Nis Bertelsen

©All rights reserved

Why did you become a ceramicist?

Because I am mad for clay, materials and the act of creation. As a child I loved to play with clay, and I am still passionate about new shapes, designs, ideas. I love contrasts and surprises, and to lose myself in one of a kind pieces.

How is your craft linked to your region?

It is light, bright and clearly nordic, and my patterns are often inspired by the natural occurrences around me.

What are your main sources of inspiration?

The sea, the sky, water, fossils and the materials themselves. I master the technique of creating moulds and I do many drafts before crafting a final piece. I am also inspired by light in relation to clay.

How do you express tradition and innovation in your work?

Everything I do is rooted in traditional ceramics, but I am not interested in old-fashioned ceramics. I enjoy adding suppleness and lightness to shapes and to let the clay become a playground for the glazes.

Hanne Bertelsen is a master artisan: she began her career in 1983 and she started teaching in 1985

Works

©Hanne Bertelsen

©Jeppe Gudmundsen-Holmgreen

©Ole Akhøj

©Ole Akhøj

©Ole Akhøj

Where