Asavi = A for Anni, savi= clay in Finnish language
Asavi is signature of MA ceramist Anni Paunila when making unique and limited edition hand made pottery.
She works on a potters wheel as well as slip casting and freeform hand building. She had developed glazes she uses to create unique, beautiful non toxic surfaces which tolerate dishwasher and oven.
Anni Paunila did her MA in Ceramics and Glass at the University of Arts & Design Helsinki (former UIAH, now part of aalto university) graduating 2003. Her thesis was a study of touch and tactical qualities in ceramic design for mass production. The Essence of touch didn’t leave her alone and she has continued her journey making handmade functional ceramics and ceramic art. Here is some of her thoughts:
“Ceramics is not made by vision only, but more or less, there is a whole physical approach in the making: the weight, movement and touch, pressure in the contact between the maker and the clay.
Functional objects make a most of our daily lives and rituals. We each have our favourite cup and we all know how bad it feels when it gets broken. Meaningful objects are difficult to replace. Dear objects create joy.”
I her design she values simple, ageless forms and the dialogue between the material and shape, the essence of clay and glaze working in a form. She believes that crafts create dialogue between the material and the maker which allows balanced forms to be born. Crafts are delivering human touches from the maker to the user.
“Making pottery is meditative process for me. There has been a lot of repeating, movement which my body has learned during a long period of time. When making pots a certain ”zen”state appears and I lose a track of time and space. “
“Each clay body has its own character. I want this to be seen in my work. Sometimes I leave markings and my fingerprints on clay, which gives each object unique character. I am a link on a chain makers, timeline of thousands of years. My hands create forms, shapes. The anatomy of shapes is build into my fingertips. My days as well as my feelings shape my pottery. Like my days, my pots are never alike.”