Glassy, white translucency is one of the characteristics of porcelain. It is caused by pure kaolin. This pure white clay is mined in the mountains around Jingdezhen (China), a city that has been famous for its fine porcelain for over 2000 years. The kaolin that is mined here, however, has become less pure and greyer in recent decades. The industry is clearly leaving its mark. This trend is the inspiration for my project, Shadows of Light with which I want to research alternatives ways of creating transparency in porcelain. Transparency is one of the characteristics of porcelain that I want to retain, even if raw materials are becoming less white and translucent.
The aim of my research is to develop sustainable and innovative materials. I want to create an alternative to pure (white) kaolin and use this as a starting point for new designs. And my designs will provide insight into the process from raw material to finished product. I believe it is important to share this story at a time when the origin and impact of a product on our (living) environment is becoming more and more unclear.
I opened my design studio shortly before graduating in 2011. My designs are characterized by simple solutions that approach the world around us from a different perspective. My designs are practical and solution oriented. I have a great love for materials, which form the starting point for my designs. My extensive research into colour and tactility results in products that are inviting to touch. My love for porcelain began during my study at the Design Academy Eindhoven, where I learned to work with the material and researched the (im)possibilities of porcelain. A recurring aspect is the transparency and delicacy, which are still an important quality of my work.
