The Art Of Ageing

Kritika Soni’s handcrafted ceramics reflect her philosophy of finding beauty in imperfection

- Kritika Soni

What took you from textile design to working with clay?

KS: Clay happened to me quite accidentally, when I was pursuing an MA in Textile Design at Chelsea College of Arts (London, UK). I had never touched that material until then. I was working towards my final project and building a collection of garments based on the concept of sustainability and slow design when I had thought of incorporating ceramics into it to further support my thesis. The idea definitely excited me but at the same time, it was very daunting. After discussing it with my faculty, I was encouraged to experiment and try it out. I landed at the ceramic studio in my college, having the clarity of what I wanted to achieve but with no knowledge of how to. Fortunately, I was very patiently helped with the basic technicalities of dealing with the material and it turned out to be a great addition to my project.

That exposure definitely left a lasting impression on me – it played on my mind even after I returned to India after completing my Master’s. I started taking weekend pottery classes alongside my full-time job as a textile designer and I fell in love with clay even more. I realized that if I wanted to better myself at that medium, it required my full 100% focus. So, in 2016 I took a leap of faith, quit my job and moved to ceramics full time. Since then there has been no looking back. I have no regrets about switching my career and I am a happy ceramist today.

What impact did a formal design education have on your career?