“My ceramics practice has taught me to be present, to tap into the flow, to let go of expectations, and to sink into and appreciate the process.”

At Gleena Studios, Asya Palatova creates porcelain, slip-cast objects with a purity of form that compels people to touch and examine them closely.

Each piece begins with mixing a batch of English porcelain slip (liquid clay). This slip is Asya’s own formula which she has perfected over the past twenty years. It is high-fire porcelain, which means that pieces are extremely durable while remaining thin.

Asya also formulates her glazes and loves overlapping colors with surprising results. As the glazes flow over the object, otherworldly landscapes are revealed, evoking mysteriously beautiful strata of earth, water, air, fire, spirit, and gaseous elements.

Because each edge is finished by hand, every piece develops a unique personality as it moves through the firings. Bowls that come out of the same mold will shift slightly in the high fire to create unique, one-of-a-kind shapes.

The forms and juicy colors are inspired by Asya’s childhood summers spent at grandma’s country house. Surrounded by carefully tended gardens and apple trees, the house was a gathering place for family and friends. Evocative of those joyful, slow days and evenings, her dishes are meant to be used in your life daily.

Asya graduated from RISD with an MFA in ceramics. After living in Rhode Island for fourteen years, she relocated to Cleveland to be near family.

If you are visiting Cleveland, and would like to stop by the studio and browse available pieces, please email Asya to make an appointment. The shop/studio is located at 3619 Walton Ave, not far from the exciting Treemont and Ohio City neighborhoods.

Currently Asya is not taking on wholesale orders. If you are curious about a custom table setting, please reach out via email.