Story
Kiara started making ceramics at home in Venezuela, in a studio that had belonged to her mother who had tried to do ceramics as a hobby, but ended up being too busy to pursue it. So in 1992 at age 17, she took possession of the space, read a few books, asked for advice, and dove into a solo trip but soon realized help was needed to learn the craft. She looked for ceramicists she could apprentice with in her hometown San Cristobal, Caracas and finally the US. In 1996, she went back home, where her mother had started an interior design studio, which was a fantastic opportunity to work with her and her clients creating custom and artistic pieces as well as site specific projects.
In 2000 she moved to Caracas, where her best friend was studying design which allowed her to connect with the design scene there. This connection enriched her practice and sparked a more design conscious body of work. During this period she was also came in contact with a ceramics collective called “Grupo de Turgua”, which held ceramic encounters and promoted the craft in the region. Even though neither of these two affiliations were formal, they gave her a sense of belonging, and she embraced the labels as designer and crafts person with enthusiasm.
In 2010 she moved to New Haven CT where she has continued her practice. 25 years in the trade have refined her crafting and designing and she has recently reconnected with the interior design world by working with designers both in New York and Connecticut.
Artist’s Statement
My favorite qualities about clay are its versatility and its expressiveness: clay can be thrown on the potter’s wheel or flattened into slabs for hand building, used as a liquid to cast molds or simply pulled and pressed with your bare hands. So many things can be made from it, from jewelry to wall covering and almost anything in between.
Over the years I have developed an extensive glaze palette. I like to create pieces with a strong contrast between colors and textures. My shapes tend to be simple because they are meant to be canvases for my often intricate glaze application.
I marvel at how all the steps of the ceramic process transform inside the kiln; the quality and texture of the fired pieces, the contrast between glazes, the stone-like durability.
Finally there is the contribution of my geographical origins. Venezuela is a colorful and tropical country, with lush vegetation and a wide array of mid-century modern architecture. These are aspects that have always inspired my work, and which along with the shaping and glazing techniques I use, come together to make my work what it is.