Valentina Šeb

Odeata

Ceramicist

©Valentina Šeb

Made with patience and love

Odeata ceramics are inspired by everyday life
The collections mostly comprise functional objects
Some objects take Valentina up to 15 days to finish

Valentina Šeb grew up in Sveti Ivan Zelina, a small town east of Zagreb, where she still lives and works today. Originally an economist by profession, she first started her journey with clay in 2002, and immediately knew it would be love for life. Since then she has been actively learning. She has mastered many different techniques, including painting and glazing, which she especially enjoys. “It is magical when a vision of a sculpture or an object, born in the mind with skill and a piece of clay, becomes visible and tangible, and it is an even greater magic to share it with others,” says Valentina. She has great support from her partner Darijo, who deals with the technical and administrative aspects of the Odeata workshop.

Interview

©Valentina Šeb

©Valentina Šeb

What makes a well made object?: Well made certainly means the quality of an object I can stand behind. All of the objects I make are unique, slightly different in shape, and coloured in different hues . The uniqueness that comes with the process of shaping and making by hand is very important to me.
What techniques do you use?: I combine several techniques: shaping by hand but also wheel throwing, mould making and casting when I am working on bigger series. All the final processing such as painting, glazing and applying gold leaf is done manually.
What inspires and challenges you?: It changes all the time, depending on the mood and collection I want to present. But my biggest sources of inspiration are tradition, everyday life and nature, especially flower patterns. The challenge is to bring those aspects into the form of a functional object.
What do you like most about your work?: I especially love painting on ceramics – the process of selecting colours is exciting, and the painting so meticulous, that it allows me to dive into the work and enjoy the process on its own. I also like the complexity of the process – it teaches me how to be patient.

Valentina Šeb is an expert artisan: she began her career in 2002