A celebration of the human touch crafted from soft stoneware clay; acclaimed Norwegian ceramic artist and designer Ann Kristin Einarsen tells us more about her latest piece for Northern, the Brim vase.

“I grew up in Narvik which is one of the world’s most northerly towns and from as early as I can remember my father was always building things and my mother always making things. Thanks to their influence, working with my hands feels very natural to me, and crafting something out of a raw material will always be part of my practice.”

“I start by researching my material, its historic use, its properties, and the ways in which I can challenge its use. I want my pieces to have a function as well as an artistic quality to them. It doesn’t matter if someone doesn’t necessarily understand it, as long as they use and cherish it.”

“When working with clay, what excites me most is the feeling of connection it gives me. As one of the first materials humans started to use to make their daily lives easier, no matter where in the world the maker lived or what time they lived in, evidence of their touch is forever present.”

“Brim began as an exploration back in 2019 and was originally one of a collection of 365 vases. I tasked myself with making, glazing, and firing a new ceramic vase every day, sharing the results via my Instagram page. Months and weeks were divided into different themes as I worked systematically through several forms, methods, and finishes.”

“The beauty of Brim is that each vase remains unique. Typically when making ceramics we want to remove all traces of the manufacturing process with any abnormalities usually cut away after the casting and drying process. Here, the inside of the vase and brim are glazed, highlighting each one’s individual beauty and personality.”