ceramics
I fell in love with clay in 1990, completely captivated by its properties and endless possibilities. After completing a Diploma in Ceramic Design at Wits Technikon, I began working full-time as a ceramic artist in 1996, shortly after moving from Gauteng to Cape Town.
My early work was hand-built using coils and slabs, first in low-fired terracotta and then, from 2001 onward, in porcelain. The shift came after an artist residency in Denmark, where I first discovered the magic of porcelain’s translucency—another irresistible bite from the clay bug!
Porcelain has always felt alchemical to me. Its luminous, light-bearing quality makes it a natural companion to sunlight or candlelight, truly coming alive when lit from within. My most beloved creations are porcelain tea light holders—formed from thin, patterned slabs impressed with poetry, texture and fynbos, our local Cape flora.
After many years of working exclusively in white porcelain, I began introducing colour into the clay body—first with black stain, then gradually expanding into a richer palette. These vessels are created from thin, hand-rolled slabs of coloured porcelain that are cut, layered, reassembled, and reconfigured. The process is inspired by textiles, patchwork and the language of sewing.
As demand for my work grew, I began training studio assistants, and in 2009 I established Lisa Firer Design, a small-scale ceramic design and production studio. With a team of five, we produced collections of lighting and vessels, and created bespoke pieces for architects, interior designers and corporate clients. Our work has been sold locally and internationally, including through The Conran Shop, Anthropologie and Heal’s.
After closing the studio in 2020, and alongside my deepening work in the healing arts, I have returned to being a solo artist. I am at the start of a journey exploring nerikomi, a Japanese technique that means “kneading together” or “mixing.” This slow and mindful process of layering, stacking, laminating and integrating coloured clays mirrors a slower way of working that feels more resonant to where I am in my life.
The gears of my working life have been gently turning — from shaping clay with my hands to guiding others in shaping their own inner experience through mindful, embodied exploration.
I fell in love with clay in 1990, completely captivated by its properties and endless possibilities. After completing a Diploma in Ceramic Design at Wits Technikon, I began working full-time as a ceramic artist in 1996, shortly after moving from Gauteng to Cape Town.
My early work was hand-built using coils and slabs, first in low-fired terracotta and then, from 2001 onward, in porcelain. The shift came after an artist residency in Denmark, where I first discovered the magic of porcelain’s translucency—another irresistible bite from the clay bug!
Porcelain has always felt alchemical to me. Its luminous, light-bearing quality makes it a natural companion to sunlight or candlelight, truly coming alive when lit from within. My most beloved creations are porcelain tea light holders—formed from thin, patterned slabs impressed with poetry, texture and fynbos, our local Cape flora.
After many years of working exclusively in white porcelain, I began introducing colour into the clay body—first with black stain, then gradually expanding into a richer palette. These vessels are created from thin, hand-rolled slabs of coloured porcelain that are cut, layered, reassembled, and reconfigured. The process is inspired by textiles, patchwork and the language of sewing.
As demand for my work grew, I began training studio assistants, and in 2009 I established Lisa Firer Design, a small-scale ceramic design and production studio. With a team of five, we produced collections of lighting and vessels, and created bespoke pieces for architects, interior designers and corporate clients. Our work has been sold locally and internationally, including through The Conran Shop, Anthropologie and Heal’s.
After closing the studio in 2020, and alongside my deepening work in the healing arts, I have returned to being a solo artist. I am at the start of a journey exploring nerikomi, a Japanese technique that means “kneading together” or “mixing.” This slow and mindful process of layering, stacking, laminating and integrating coloured clays mirrors a slower way of working that feels more resonant to where I am in my life.
The gears of my working life have been gently turning — from shaping clay with my hands to guiding others in shaping their own inner experience through mindful, embodied exploration.
