Leonie Yagdjoglou

Colour to convey joy

• Leonie makes functional objects as well as decorative artworks
• All her items are hand painted porcelain or stoneware
• She captures and spreads joy through her creations

Leonie Yagdjoglou studied graphic design and holds a BA in Fine Arts from the Montreux Αrt Center Europe. In 1995 she co-founded the branding and design company MILK in Cologne, Germany. In parallel to her business activity, Leonie always expressed herself artistically through painting and drawing. In 2008 she started practising ceramics. For her, ceramics is a three-dimensional art that combines the two main elements of her artistic identity: design and painting. Leonie loves mixing different elements and materials. She brings her sculptures and objects to life through colour. “The movement of the brush liberates me and characterises my work,” she says.

Interview

©Panagiota Karastergiou

©Panagiota Karastergiou

Why did you choose this craft?

Through ceramics, one becomes wiser. For me, it’s very important that I instill joy into everything I create. This feeling of joy is capable of spreading and entering into other people’s lives.

How do you express tradition and innovation?

Tradition is expressed by the simple and classical forms of the utilitarian objects I create. My artistic intervention can be found in my colours and painting. My sculptural objects have ancient totems as a reference, but when creating them I am interested in allowing them to be dynamic.

Which techniques do you use in your work?

I use the wheel to produce functional objects and some components of my sculptures. I shape many objects from scratch with my hands. I use my fingers to shape parts and details so that my fingerprints are visible on the material. I paint all my objects with brushes, with objects that have interesting imprints, or oftentimes with my fingers.

What do people normally not know about your craft?

Νone of the objects I create started using a pencil and paper. The first thing that comes to my mind is an image, and the feeling of the object's existence. Usually, these images come to my mind during the morning hours and once I enter my workshop I let my hands create what needs to be created.

Leonie Yagdjoglou is an expert artisan: she began her career in 2008

Works

©Giorgos Vitsaropoulos

©All rights reserved

©Giorgos Vitsaropoulos

©Giorgos Vitsaropoulos

©All rights reserved

Where