SVEN Ceramics
-our story-
In the Spring of 2015, my partner Mallie and I decided to take the leap: quit our jobs, and start our own ceramics company. And despite the whirlwind that has been our lives since, even when we're knee deep in cups for an order due next week, or in the dark times when a whole kiln load has been ruined, we've never regretted it. In fact, we feel ever grateful to be able to do what we love. It is an endless source of delight to know what we have crafted will go both into people's homes, as well as restaurants and cafes across the continent, with the purpose of being used and enjoyed daily.
I first discovered ceramics as a kid, and though I've always loved art of all kinds, I've always been most drawn to working with clay. I love the feel of it in my hands: creating forms, shapes, and textures out of the spinning mass beneath them. Some can be later used for our other passions--cooking and eating.
Or, alternatively, creating the objects previously only seen in my mind--a violin lady with wood texture, or vivid earth-toned masks to hang on the wall that interact with each other. I eventually studied ceramics at San Francisco State University, where I developed skills that I would later take into our joint venture.
Though Mallie had no background in ceramics, her eye for detail and her talent in photography has been a boon to our business from the very start. Bit by bit, she learned different aspects of creating the pottery. She has since become the main glazer , the maker of all our RAM pressed pieces, and occasional hand-builder. We compliment each other in our strengths, and together we make this business a whole--and a delight.
In the beginning, we had merely a shed in our San Francisco backyard the size of a closet to work out of. Big enough only for one at the wheel, we managed to work together to create hundreds of pieces of pottery out of that first tiny studio. The video below was made during that time.
When the orders got larger, we set up a tent to do finishing work. Finally this year we were able to expand our studio, creating a cozy space that is large enough to hold all the instruments and machines of a professional pottery business, and the capacity to make hundreds of pieces at a time.
Though we are still a team of two, we continue to grow and hone our art. Working with clay and creating functional art for the kitchen, as well as art with no purpose other than to be looked at and enjoyed, gives us great pleasure. So thank you for coming to our site, and I hope you enjoy what you find!
Sven and Mallie
SVEN Ceramics
July 2017