Anna Klas
Please share a bit about yourself, what first drew you to working with clay, and how this material became central to your creative expression?
The moment that really drew me to clay was when I got the chance to get familiar with throwing. During my time at Rietveld, we had an assignment in drawing class with Giene Steeman, and for some reason I decided to make ceramic tiles. Those tiles had sculpted noses, eyes, and ears on them, and a friend of a friend who had a small ceramic studio asked if I could make some for her in exchange for throwing lessons. Throwing really drew me in! From that moment on, all I could think of was ceramics and how I could evolve my skills
Can you walk us through your process? What does your making process look like, and do you have any rituals that help you return to the material?
My practice is quite versatile, stretched between many mediums, with ceramics as my main focus. A day in my studio mostly starts with reading a few pages of books or essays that relate to my way of working. I realized it helps me to arrive in the creative, free floating side of my brain. My making process often starts with sketches, thinking of interesting shapes, how they enhance each other, and what is needed for tableware to be aesthetic but also practical and easy. The more conceptual vases start from the material, the shape depends on the landscape and the workflow is way more messy and intuitive.
Your work carries a strong sense of structure and presence. How do these qualities emerge through your hands while working with clay, and what guides your decisions in the process?
When sculpting the structured vases, I am in a state of focus, presence, and free headspace. There is no restriction or sense of time. Simply being skin to skin with the materials I work with, thinking of the places I collected them and wondering what their stories might tell…?
When it comes to the tactile nature of your work and its connection to your body, how does working with your hands shape your relationship to the craft and your overall well being?
Being able to work with my hands is truly a gift for me. It’s hard to put into words what exactly it does to my well being. But I know for sure that my practice, the craft, and I are in a very committed relationship. One I could not imagine ever losing. It brings me joy and makes me excited about life!
We understand your time at Gerrit Rietveld Academie has been part of your journey. Could you share how this experience has influenced the way you approach craft today?
I studied (TXT) Textile Design & Creative Writing at the Gerrit Rietveld Academie in Amsterdam. Now my work is mostly focused on ceramics. Still, my time at the Academie has had a huge influence on finding my voice in the creative world. During my time there, I have been challenged to find out why I feel the urge to make and what I am trying to express. Craft has always played a huge role in my work, as did my master’s degree in gilding (working with gold leaf on frames and architectural features) before starting Rietveld. The big question for me was and still is, “What role does craft play in our lives today?”
Looking at the contemporary landscape, where do you think lies the biggest potential to preserve and redefine the value of craft, particularly in material based practices like ceramics?
I think crafts in general teach us so much! Understanding how something is made and came to be gives us a small glimpse of understanding the world that surrounds us in everyday life. Learning a craft and being in contact with a physical material that grows into something new in our hands ultimately gives a sense of belonging. Something many of us are seeking to find. Crafts carry immense amounts of knowledge which nurtures humans in so many different ways, physically and psychologically. Besides that, it brings us joy, an incredibly important human need.
Are there any new techniques, processes, or directions you are currently exploring that feel connected to the evolution of your practice?
Yes! I got a ball mill recently, which has been a huge game changer in my glaze research. I am currently busy grinding my entire library of collected materials. And the first glaze tests I did showed some great results. Very exciting!
How can people engage more closely with your work, whether through exhibitions, collaborations, or upcoming projects?
I will be part of “Lange Kunstnacht” on the 19th of September in Landsberg am Lech (DE). At Sandauer Str. 248, you will find a small solo exhibition of my most recent work.
Besides that, I will have an exhibition at Kunst Traject in Amsterdam (NL) in 2027 together with Marie Willfort. Dates will be announced soon.
People who are curious to visit my studio at Ammersee (DE) or would like to submit a custom order, feel free to contact me at anna.klas@protonmail.com.
All photos belong to Anna.
Hand thrown in recycled stoneware by Anna Leoni Klas. Crafted with an eye for detail, each piece is carefully made by hand in her little countryside studio. Beautifully coated in a dusky blue with a satin finish.
A mystical vessel containing a library of collected materials, hours of research, and walks through Amsterdam and the countryside of the Ammersee region (DE). First hand thrown in grey stoneware and later sculpted with objects found along the way. Glazed with numerous materials, including mussel shells, eggshells, different types of glass, clay from the polders of Amsterdam, ashes, and sand.
The vessel is a unique piece, made by the artist Anna Leoni Klas. It is part of the research for her work “From Beneath the Roots of a Tree”, which has been exhibited across Europe.
Hand thrown in light stoneware by Anna Leoni Klas. Crafted with an eye for detail, accurate but fully hand made in her little countryside studio. Beautifully coated in a organic & soft color palette.
