The Essential: Kat Pino Ceramics
Our work exploriong the nature of ‘The Essential’ while designing precision manufactured homes for Commonplace had us wondering if notions of essential living could apply to all aspects of our homes and lives. This led us to a number of rich collaborations including one with ceramicist Kat Pino who developed dinnerware for the project. With a philosophy rooted in functionality and simplicity, Kat Pino’s ceramics fold seamlessly into the Commonplace vision.
In 2016, Kat not only moved from her home in The Netherlands, but also from the corporate environment, to pursue pottery in Vancouver. No stranger to the arts, Kat was raised by an architect father, a music teacher mother, and eventually pursued her own university degree in Art History and Cultural Sciences. When describing her work, she has an elegant methodology that embraces the true nature of her craft, “Working with clay means understanding that it has a will of its own. I’m just the vessel. Once it’s in the kiln, it’s out of my hands. All I can do is have a restless, sleepless night”.
“Working with clay means understanding that it has a will of its own. I’m just the vessel.”
To Kat, what you deem essential speaks to your consciousness reveals what you really need rather than what you simply want. She uses the word ‘expectation’ to articulate the dynamic relationship between the texture, shape, and colour of ceramics and the way they add value to a space. The anticipation of the way a mug or a vase will feel in your hands is a form of communication, connection. “What draws me to ceramics, is it’s ability to form connections. I believe that every object in a home interacts and communicates with us, it produces a feeling of some sort.” This belief is woven into every step of Kat’s design process. While her products are minimal and clean, there are countless design decisions made to achieve this, each of them thoughtful and meticulous. It is also what makes the collaboration between Kat and Commonplace Homes gorgeously palpable; an alignment of values that brings to life the essential.
