Wilden.herbals meets / Interview with Giulia Valentino Ceramics

In the fascinating world of manual arts, it is often a personal story that is intertwined with the creation of unique and timeless works of art. We interviewed Giulia by giuliavalentinoceramics to let her tell us more about her personal story and that of her ceramics project, which has grown from a passion into a real job, one that gratifies and satisfies the heart. In the course of this short interview, we dive into Giulia’s world, exploring her artistic roots, sources of inspiration and the creative process that guides her in the creation of unique ceramic pieces.

We at Wilden are honoured to have had the opportunity to meet her and collaborate with her on the creation of some unique pieces made especially for us and signed Wilden.

Would you like to tell us what your journey was like?

I discovered ceramics in Japan, in Mashiko in April 2019 and threw myself into it. I continued to study and practice in Barcelona, where I was living at the time. I am a perfectionist who cannot give myself peace, so even though it started as a hobby, I was spending every spare minute thinking about how to refine the technique, doing and redoing experiments. While still working with an architectural firm, I realised that in working with ceramics, design efforts, material choices and functional rehearsal were combined with a harmony and rhythm that I lacked on the construction site.

How and when did the giuliavalentinoceramics project come about?

My project started very spontaneously and organically. The passion I initially discovered for working on the potter’s wheel quickly broadened into a search for special earths – as wild as possible – and sincere glazes, without frills and pretensions ‘a la mode’. The work was therefore light and simple, and as soon as pieces began to emerge from the kiln that made me proud, I slowly began to build what is now my daily life: tiring, slow but extremely fulfilling.

Where do you draw your inspirations from?

Where do you get your inspirations from? Maybe talking about Japan would be a given, but that’s where it all started and that’s where it goes back to, every time a bowl comes out hot from the last baking. It is not just a question of form: my designs are certainly influenced by Japanese mingei (folk art) forms, but I am still an architect who has seen and studied design of all ages and nationalities. I link my craftsmanship philosophy more strongly to Japan. The humility of the materials and the simplicity of the finishes is fundamental for me, the forms follow the functions and are graceful in order to bring some of that Zen serenity into the home that is so often missing in industrial design.

How did the collaboration with Wilden come about and what is the point of connection between the two?

With Wilden it was a chance meeting, a quick understanding and then, again, an organic process of creation. I believe that the crucial link between my work and Wilden – beyond a certain philosophy of life, aesthetics and propensity to care for things, people and the relationship between them – is the realisation that beyond the product itself there is something else and that in this otherness lies its true value. Wilden herbal teas are not just excellent aromatic mixes packed for a pleasant hot break: they are curative, they are tailor-made, they are designed to stay and change the daily life of those who choose them. It is the same hope that drives me to work on my products.

Healthy and wild is the motto of Wilden.herbals. What does it mean to you?

Healthy and wild is a beautiful motto. I think we would all agree on wanting to be healthy; on the importance of remaining wild, however, there is always much work to be done. There is an underground world of emotions that we cannot forget to share with all species, animal and plant. A strong interdependence binds us, but we often forget this. Plants heal us! Clay does too! I believe that on this level the botanical story of Wilden’s herbal teas is strong and important.