Korina Doerr

Nisaki mu

Ceramicist

©Stelios Papardelas

©Doerr Korina

©Stelios Papardelas

©Doerr Korina

Folk art motifs and ancient civilisations

Korina uses her ceramics as a canvas for her illustrations
Her favourite part of the making process is the decoration
She enjoys sharing her knowledge and love for the craft with others

Korina Doerr is a Greek-German ceramicist who has lived most of her life on the Greek island of Crete. Following a five-year university degree in industrial design and 10 years spent in graphic design, she turned to working with her hands. Looking for a craft to learn in the area where she lives, in 2016 Korina began attending ceramics classes. Korina spent three years studying the craft alongside two experienced artists with lifelong careers in ceramics: masters Marianthi Sfakianaki, and Dimitris Limberidis. Korina opened her workshop in 2020 in Crete. This is where she creates objects deeply inspired by folk art, nature, island life, the sea, and the art of ancient civilisations. She follows a creation process she learned during her studies in industrial and graphic design, which pivots on research, brainstorming, ideation, sketching, and final design before reaching the material making process.

Interview

©Doerr Korina

©Doerr Korina

Why did you choose the craft of ceramics?: I have always expressed myself through painting and making. Ceramics gave me the opportunity to play with shapes while also serving as a canvas for my paintings. I was drawn to the infinite possibilities that clay as a material offers.
Which techniques and specialisations do you use when creating your work?: I work with plaster moulds and various decoration techniques, such as sgraffito on slip, stains, underglaze pencils, paper resist, and wax resists. I work with both low and high-temperature clays, primarily liquid clay and plaster moulds, but also with slabs. I love learning new techniques and always make time for experimentation.
What do you love most about practising your craft professionally?: I love that I am part of the entire creative process, from concept to the final piece, and the variety of tasks I fulfil every day. I love that I can learn about ceramics my whole life and still never know everything. I also love the therapeutic nature of working with clay by hand and witnessing the magical transformation of a piece of clay into a work of art. The freedom to organise my schedule is also important to me.
Where do you find inspiration?: I am inspired by folk art, and specifically the designs found in folk embroidery, the patterns from the Aegean Islands. I am also inspired by the art of ancient civilisations, such as the Minoan civilisation that thrived thousands of years ago in the area where I live today. Another significant source of inspiration is the sea, island life, and the happy memories I associate with them.

Korina Doerr is a rising star: she began her career in 2020 and she started teaching in 2021