A ceramicist based in Melbourne, Elena Strohfeldt specialises in hand-built, functional sculptures. Shaping raw clay by hand, she blends art and design through organic forms and carved patterns. Her work features earthy tones like brown, cream, and sand, exploring the intersection of beauty and utility.
For a limited time discover a curated selection of her pieces, available to purchase in our Armadale boutique.
Enjoy our interview with Elena Strohfeldt
A ceramicist based in Melbourne, Elena Strohfeldt specialises in hand-built, functional sculptures. Shaping raw clay by hand, she blends art and design through organic forms and carved patterns. Her work features earthy tones like brown, cream, and sand, exploring the intersection of beauty and utility.
For a limited time discover a curated selection of her pieces, available to purchase in our Armadale boutique.
Enjoy our interview with Elena Strohfeldt
Texture is so prevalent in your work, how does that inform your designs?
My fascination with texture began in high school when I was studying art. I loved painting large abstract landscapes, utilising materials and mediums to build texture. So it feels full circle that my ceramic pieces have come to have the same look and feel.
For my ceramics, I first gravitated towards texture because I believe it invites the viewer to want to interact with the piece. I love that when people see my pieces their first instinct is to touch them. I feel it creates a more intimate relationship between my art and the audience.
Because I love to keep my pieces raw on the outside, I design and handbuild my pieces with the clay at the forefront. I use it to create the texture and intricate patterns I desire, rather than relying on glazes and oxides.
My GOLD collection was the first time I truly ventured into glazing the entire piece. The glaze I chose was not only a cost effective alternative to gold lustre, it also has a crackling effect when fired, keeping true to the texture and tactile nature I try to achieve in all my pieces.
So you can say that texture is integral in every piece, from design to handbuilding.
Texture is so prevalent in your work, how does that inform your designs?
My fascination with texture began in high school when I was studying art. I loved painting large abstract landscapes, utilising materials and mediums to build texture. So it feels full circle that my ceramic pieces have come to have the same look and feel.
For my ceramics, I first gravitated towards texture because I believe it invites the viewer to want to interact with the piece. I love that when people see my pieces their first instinct is to touch them. I feel it creates a more intimate relationship between my art and the audience.
Because I love to keep my pieces raw on the outside, I design and handbuild my pieces with the clay at the forefront. I use it to create the texture and intricate patterns I desire, rather than relying on glazes and oxides.
My GOLD collection was the first time I truly ventured into glazing the entire piece. The glaze I chose was not only a cost effective alternative to gold lustre, it also has a crackling effect when fired, keeping true to the texture and tactile nature I try to achieve in all my pieces.
So you can say that texture is integral in every piece, from design to handbuilding.
If you were to pick a piece from your MB x ES selection that best represents you as a person, which would it be?
The two LAYERS pieces are my favourite. While I love the GOLD pieces, there is something exciting about the process of my LAYERS pieces.
It is only after I have built the piece and let it dry for a bit that I can carve it to reveal the patterns I have created. It is always a surprise, and no piece is the same.
If you were to pick a piece from your MB x ES selection that best represents you as a person, which would it be?
The two LAYERS pieces are my favourite. While I love the GOLD pieces, there is something exciting about the process of my LAYERS pieces.
It is only after I have built the piece and let it dry for a bit that I can carve it to reveal the patterns I have created. It is always a surprise, and no piece is the same.
What influences your work.. is it experiences or curiosity, other art forms or nature?
As cliche as it is, the world around me is what inspires me.
For example, my love of Ancient History and Archaeology inspired the LAYERS collection. I love that if you cut a cross section of the earth, you can see a layer for each civilisation that has lived there before. While a trip to Japan inspired my GOLD collection. I saw an exhibition of 100 gold medals and wanted to create my own version of gold medals to celebrate the quiet victories in life.
Most weekends you will find me in a secondhand bookshop, looking through design and art books.
Honestly, anything and everything can inspire me
What influences your work.. is it experiences or curiosity, other art forms or nature?
As cliche as it is, the world around me is what inspires me.
For example, my love of Ancient History and Archaeology inspired the LAYERS collection. I love that if you cut a cross section of the earth, you can see a layer for each civilisation that has lived there before. While a trip to Japan inspired my GOLD collection. I saw an exhibition of 100 gold medals and wanted to create my own version of gold medals to celebrate the quiet victories in life.
Most weekends you will find me in a secondhand bookshop, looking through design and art books.
Honestly, anything and everything can inspire me
Join us on our journey
Join us on our journey
