Nancy Livathinou

NL clay studio

Ceramicist

©Nancy Livathinou

Ceramics that challenge and inspire

Nancy opened her workshop in 2006
She uses the handmade coil technique
She is inspired by nature

In 2006, Nancy Livathinou started experimenting with different materials such as fabric, paper, plaster and cement. A few years later, she decided to focus exclusively on clay and turned her workshop into a clay studio. Her work is inspired by the “incredible and perfectly repetitive detail of nature”. Hand building – pinch and coil techniques – have been used for thousands of years in ceramics, and are the main techniques she uses. When describing the process of creating she feels there is always something new to learn: "every piece I create is a new endeavour, a constant challenge." For her, ceramics is all about “creation, psychoanalysis, challenge and love”. This art is a way of life that brings her closer to nature, a very important part of her life.

Interview

©Nancy Livathinou

©Nancy Livathinou

Which was the first object you created with clay?: I remember vividly the first time I bought clay and took it to my workshop. I began creating with an intensity that I had not felt since I was a child. I created whatever I saw around me: flowers, leaves, fruits.
Why did you choose this craft?: Simply because it is something that I love. Clay is a way of expression for me. And while ceramics is a very old craft, it is still present everywhere in our daily life, clay remains a material with great potential for creation.
What do you love most about your work?: I love the plasticity of the material, it allows me to capture the detail that I admire in nature. Throughout the entire process, from start to finish, there is an excitement that grows when the object starts taking shape and skyrockets when I am waiting to open the kiln.
What does well made mean for you?: Well made is a phrase I often use in my work. When creating a ceramic object, there are many stages involved and often complicated ones. For me, attention to detail is very important.

Nancy Livathinou is a rising star: she began her career in 2016 and she started teaching in 2020