The world is explicit. It makes explicit turns. And it seems to us the more emotionless those turns appear - the more they imprint in our subconscious. That leaves us with all kinds of scars unhidden and those hidden. Honestly, I am always more worried about hidden ones. Not to go deep into the dark - those hidden scars are often the reason why some environments, people, and items attract us more than others. Why "trauma bonding" is one of the wheels of the car called life.
But today I want to connect in the same, deep, subconscious level with one bright direction. One pottery brand that is made to brighten our day! Elizabeth Di Prinzio is the woman that stands behind the amazing brand Earth + Element Ceramics. Her work blends with natural laws, and it is created out of passion and beauty.
Enjoy reading her wise thoughts!
Where are you from? Where does the art journey start for you?
I was born in San Jose, California, just a little south of San Francisco. My journey into art begin as a child. My grandmother was a painter and to keep us busy she sat us down with a blank canvas, a few colors and some paint brushes. She did not own a TV so our time was filled with arts and crafts.
What is the first emotion that drives you towards creating an art piece? Do you recognize the connection immediately and let yourself flow on the creative process? Or do you "bake" the inspiration for some time?
I do a little of both. My creations come out of a place of wants and needs and I'll start the process, let is sit for six months and then revisit it once a new inspiration hits. Sometimes my piece will sit all year, or in some cases I never return back to it. I have to really love something in order to continue on.
What is the back story of your design? Because every one of us sees the world through separate lenses. How hard it must be to transfer it to other people?
I design from two places, as an artist and as an artist with a business. Making your vision come to life takes more than just me. I have to make sure I design what I feel is beautiful and what I believe my customers will also feel as beautiful. Asking myself "Is this functional AND beautiful?" the balance is a tipping scale to make sure you hit the mark with.
When it comes to making a living from your art, what are the main struggles? And what would be your advice for starting artists?
If you're going to start selling your art my advice is to change the way you view failures and struggles. It's never the end of the world when something goes wrong, it may feel that way, but really it's just a lesson that will help you grow and become a better business owner, maker, or artist. If you're not failing, you're not learning. I love a challenge and most people who start a businesses feel the same way.
What do you prefer, single pieces or storytelling through a whole project? And what approach do you use in each case?
Single piece storytelling for me is a way to convey a message, emotion or design in short. Since we mainly craft functionable tableware I prefer creating an entire collection that work together and last a lifetime. We want our customers to keep these pieces forever so while staying away from anything to niche or trendy is important, we also leave room for freedom of fun and playfulness.
Why do you use certain materials? What connects you with them, and makes you feel they are perfect for your art piece?
There's a beautiful connection with taking earth materials and using the elements of water and fire to create art that will live beyond your own life span is one of the most special parts of working with clay. Since I am a nature lover it fits me well and feels good to create from the earth and for these pieces to perhaps one day go back into the earth.
What does ART, in general, mean to you?
Art is a creation that first starts in your mind and vision, and with materials you're translating thoughts into actual forms. Art is a feeling of joy or sadness that you can express outside the body.
The FOURLINEdesign team would like to thank Elizabeth Di Prinzio for sharing inspiring thoughts with our community.
