Your ceramics—two flat spoons and two plates—all feel a little undone, like a loose braid. Each plate has an imperfect pool of glaze covering its clay surface and the spoons have such clear (metaphorical) thumbprints of the human touch. What is it that attracts you to this kind of fluidity, free from the fine lines of uniformity? 

About eight years ago I took a ceramics class and started to explore the slab roller: it’s essentially a giant rolling pin that rolls out a block of clay into a thin slab. It invited me to create shapes that became plates and containers; no two were alike. I was guided by the slab in determining what shapes I’d cut out. 

Measurements intimidate me and repetition bores me, so making pieces that are exactly the same is not something I like doing. It feels more like a collaboration - the clay and I working together - where the magic begins, never knowing exactly what will happen when art and chemistry (about which I know very little) come together. It’s always a surprise! When glazing the plates, I follow a similar pattern, allowing the glaze to pool in places and leave some spots bare.

That essence of making these pieces free-hand reminds us of how Helen Frankenthaler, the inspiration behind our latest collection, would pour her paint onto the canvas and let it soak and expand. Who are some of your favorite artists and what draws you to their work? 

I love the work of Isamu Noguchi. The breadth of his work, his use of different natural materials–stone, wood, paper–how his pieces invite the viewer to touch them, how they sit in harmony with nature, how most of his pieces have rounded edges. I’ve been making closed forms, mostly egg shapes. I love the process, the repetitive motion of finishing them to a smooth and tactile surface is very meditative and satisfying.

As a little girl, I made a ceramic hedgehog, pushing the clay through a sieve to get the spikey hair. It became a treasured possession of my grandparents.

When we first saw Lisa's dotted spoon, we pictured the polkadot constellations of Yayoi Kusama. Shown here is a piece from her book Infinity Net: The Autobiography of Yayoi Kusama.

This small stoneware plate was shaped by Lisa's hands from a red clay base. It has an irregular pool of turmeric glaze that swims over the surface. In some spots, the natural clay beneath the pour of the glaze is revealed.

What objects in your home have a hold on you? 

I love things that I have collected on my travels, tribal pieces from South Africa, where I grew up and textiles and objects from India where I spent a lot of time for work.

What do you picture plated on each shade of Glaze Plates? The milk pool made us crave flourless chocolate cake. 

I love using the plates for dessert or for a tea party. Preparing tea is an important ritual for me, and there is nothing better than an afternoon cup with a sweet treat. Ina Garten’s maple oatmeal scones are a favorite, with a dollop of jam. 

What roles best suit these small porcelain spoons; tea stirring and sugar scooping? 

I started making spoons and beads from the clay trimmed off my plates—bits that seemed too full of potential to toss into the recycle bucket. It always feels like such a waste to discard that material when it can become something small and whimsical instead.

From the Araks catalog, what are your most loved pieces for yourself? 

I’m in love with the Willow Bralette; it is incredibly comfortable, and I have it in many colors. It's so hard to resist! I also treasure my silk pajamas– they make lounging at home feel very cozy, but also so chic.