British-born ceramicist Eva Shuman has a range of work as diverse and colourful as their descriptions, from ‘Vleis Palais’ to ‘Prussian Sean Got a New Jacket’. An extension of her appreciation of design, particularly fashion, ceramics has provided Eva with a medium through which she can express her love of colour, shape and texture.
A former House & Garden staffer, her passion evolved from writing about art to creating her own range of ceramic works at her Cape Town studio, Eva Makes Ceramics. She defines the style of her work as being ‘Very Eva,’ using bold, bright glazes. Her favourite is crystal glaze, as ‘you never quite know how they are going to turn out.’ Eva admits that her process is very mood driven, influencing the fluid outcome of her pieces.
Each handmade piece is unique, taking from two weeks to two months to create, depending on the scale. At first, Eva started small, attending an evening class once a week while progressing from playful home decor pieces to furniture. She now takes lessons from YouTube, saying jokingly that, ‘Being able to use something that I had made was incredibly gratifying.’
You can find more of Eva’s work via her Instagram @eva.makes.ceramics
Words by Carol Chamberlain
