Ceramic birds sculptures

The ceramic birds sculptures collection was created in collaboration with the household ceramics brand ‘Villeroy & Boch’ to celebrate the company’s 275th anniversary. The taps they produced became the ceramic birds heads and dictated the design decisions. The most essential step in the process is choosing the right materials. I used heavy and robust taps, so I had to pick a technique to withstand the heavyweight.

Bird motives have been with me almost since the beginning of my career. I associate them with freedom, drive and independence. The variety of colours, the patterns of feathers and the graceful wings are true creative muses for artists.

I like to surprise people with my work. To create something that makes you stop, look closely and feel a specific emotion. I want to prove that art does not have to be boring, or that you need a degree in art criticism to understand it. Even before sketching, I wanted to create stylised but easily recognisable sculptures.
My surroundings often inspire my ideas: people, nature, sensations or objects. For example, the four ceramic bird sculptures were inspired by  a water tap design:

• Peacock: I used coloured glass feathers and a brass bow to represent the colourfulness and ornamentation of the peacock’s tail.
• Peewit: It’stail is a replica of a water tap, and the wings are green glass glued to brass rings.
• Wagtail: The expressive raised tail of the wagtail is represented by a greenish glass detail.
• Rook: as the bird’s body is black, it’s the only one in the collection with expressive purple handmade glass details.

The perfect solution was the strong and reliable fireclay I used for the first time. A team of outstanding specialists – masters of stained glass, metal and fireclay – have contributed to the ceramic birds collection. Some cut and polished coloured, uneven handmade glass feathers – it was a real challenge to polish the edges without ruining the texture; others turned, bent, welded and polished brass. A talented ceramicist moulded, dried and fired the bird bodies from a plasticine prototype I made. Each step of the process required precision and dedication. From the initial sketches to the final assembly, every detail was carefully considered to ensure that the sculptures captured each bird’s essence and stood as unique design objects.

This collection is a celebration of craftsmanship, material exploration, and artistic vision—blurring the line between function and form. It embodies my ongoing fascination with birds as symbols of freedom and creativity while paying tribute to the heritage of Villeroy & Boch. By combining traditional craftsmanship with contemporary artistic expression, I hope these sculptures invite curiosity, spark conversations, and bring a touch of wonder to those who encounter them.

Ceramic Bird Sculpture: The Peackok

The Peacock sculpture in the ceramic birds collection is a tribute to elegance, color, and grandeur. Inspired by the dazzling beauty of a real peacock’s tail, I incorporated coloured glass feathers that shimmer and shift with the light, reflecting the bird’s natural iridescence. A carefully crafted brass bow completes the design, emphasizing its ornamental and regal nature.

This piece captures not only the bird’s physical splendor but also its symbolic meaning—confidence, pride, and self-expression. By blending fireclay, glass, and metal, I wanted to create a sculpture that mesmerizes the viewer, much like a real peacock’s captivating display.