KS 119
Designer/Manufacturer
Karen SwamiDescription
Swami's work is deeply informed by the natural characteristics of the Earth. From its surface down to its deeper stratus, she mimics the parched, cracked, and fractured textures found in nature. The particularity of her work results from the convergence of time-honored techniques from different parts of the world that have inspired the artist; the cobalt blue or celadon-green glazes reveal deep layers of nuanced colors and the simple shapes of her works are reminiscent of Asian and Hellenistic ceramics dating back to the ancient dynasties. To create her unique finish, Swami burnishes each piece with an agate stone, they are then bisque-fired, smoked, waxed, then re-worked often with Urushi lacquer and pure gold in the traditional Japanese Kintsugi technique.
Karen Swami
Karen Swami
French ceramicist Karen Swami's work has garnered the steady appreciation of international critics and collectors for its elegant simplicity and textured skins. Her nom d’artiste “Swami” is a phonetic adaptation of her maiden name, Souhami, and refers to a spiritual or religious teacher in Sanskrit. As for the inspirations behind her body of work, they range from ancient Egyptian Nagada vases to Japanese ceramic traditions to the work of her contemporary peers including Alev Ebüzziya Siesbye and Magdalene Odundo among others.
Working between Paris and Brittany, Swami has been drawn to the tactile and visual experience of clay since her early childhood. It was not until 2009 that she chose to dedicate her life to mastering ceramic techniques. In 2010 Swami received her certificate of professional competence in pottery. As she pursues her study of the material through ongoing experimentations at her studio, the artist has since developed an extensive body of work involving various time-honored techniques picked up from ceramic traditions from around the world. Swami embraces the beautiful and poetic imperfections resulting from controlled incidents and weaknesses inherent to the materials. Her work is deeply informed by the natural characteristics of the Earth; from the surface down to its deeper stratus. Swami mimics the parched, cracked and fractured textures found in nature, enabling and emphasizing injured, layered surfaces.
The particularity of her work results from the convergence of time-honored techniques from different parts of the world; the cobalt blue or celadon-green glazes reveal deep layers of nuanced colors and the simple shapes of her works are reminiscent of Asian and Hellenistic ceramics dating back to the ancient dynasties. To create her unique finish, Swami burnishes each piece with an agate stone, they are then bisque-fired, smoked, waxed, then re-worked often with Urushi lacquer and pure gold in the traditional Japanese Kintsugi technique.
Karen Swami
French ceramicist Karen Swami's work has garnered the steady appreciation of international critics and collectors for its elegant simplicity and textured skins. Her nom d’artiste “Swami” is a phonetic adaptation of her maiden name, Souhami, and refers to a spiritual or religious teacher in Sanskrit. As for the inspirations behind her body of work, they range from ancient Egyptian Nagada vases to Japanese ceramic traditions to the work of her contemporary peers including Alev Ebüzziya Siesbye and Magdalene Odundo among others.
Working between Paris and Brittany, Swami has been drawn to the tactile and visual experience of clay since her early childhood. It was not until 2009 that she chose to dedicate her life to mastering ceramic techniques. In 2010 Swami received her certificate of professional competence in pottery. As she pursues her study of the material through ongoing experimentations at her studio, the artist has since developed an extensive body of work involving various time-honored techniques picked up from ceramic traditions from around the world. Swami embraces the beautiful and poetic imperfections resulting from controlled incidents and weaknesses inherent to the materials. Her work is deeply informed by the natural characteristics of the Earth; from the surface down to its deeper stratus. Swami mimics the parched, cracked and fractured textures found in nature, enabling and emphasizing injured, layered surfaces.
The particularity of her work results from the convergence of time-honored techniques from different parts of the world; the cobalt blue or celadon-green glazes reveal deep layers of nuanced colors and the simple shapes of her works are reminiscent of Asian and Hellenistic ceramics dating back to the ancient dynasties. To create her unique finish, Swami burnishes each piece with an agate stone, they are then bisque-fired, smoked, waxed, then re-worked often with Urushi lacquer and pure gold in the traditional Japanese Kintsugi technique.
Karen Swami Collection
GALCA 05
CELAD 16
CELAD 4
OO BIANCA
OO BIANCA
KS 92
AO
AO 03
KLIMT 7
GALDOR 75
TOU 24
KLIMT 24
GALKIWI 48
KLIMT 43
KS 152
GALDOR 51
GLYCINE 03
OO BIANCA 10
RIS 42
IVOIRE 06
KS 39
GALKIWI 72
KS 119
LOCQUI V 31
KS 234
KLIMT 26
GALUCHAT CAIMAN
GALKIWI 44
AO 04
GALDOR 76
GALCA 01
LOCQUI V 28
GALB 03
GALDOR 65
GALKIWI 100
BOL
TOU 02
GALN 42
TOU 12
KLIMT 12
GALDOR 86
CB 51
GALTURQ 49
GALKIWI 102
AO 07
CELA MIDORI
GALB 64
RIS 36
GALTURQ 55
GALTURQ 59
KLIMT C 53
GALDOR 34
KLIMT 64
GALDOR 17
KS 273
CÈPES STOOL
GALTURQ 68
KS 164
GALCA 03
GALKIWI 98
GALDOR 85
KLIMT B 56
R 112
SOBEK 01
KS 29
GALKIWI 104
GALTURQ 66
KS 285
CELAD 3
RIS 23
OO BIANCA 11
GALDOR 79
RIS 19
GALDOR 46
SF 17
OO CAÏMAN
GRAMINÉ
KS 184
PALMYRE 04
GALB 61
GALDOR 82
GALDOR 47
CB 24
GALKIWI 99
KS 296
KLIMT 62
GALKIWI 92
KS 122
CONSTELLATION
GALCA 04