Maria Cotellessa

I am a sculptor who works mainly in ceramics, with a particular love for the raku technique and the way it gives my pieces a raw and unpredictable life of their own. Much of my inspiration comes from the forest: walking there, I collect images, feelings, and fragments of stories that later find their way into clay. Animals are at the very heart of my work. They are not only beautiful creatures to me, but also symbols of fragility, strength, and the urgent need to care for our climate and the world we share.

Over the years I have learned to trust the dialogue between material and imagination. My apprenticeship with sculptor Anita Brusewitz-Hansson shaped me deeply, teaching me to search for honesty in form. I usually leave my sculptures with a matte, unglazed surface, letting light play naturally on their shapes. But for the eyes I make an exception: I glaze them, because they carry the individuality and presence of each creature I create.

Sometimes my sculptures are small and intimate, other times I work on monumental pieces in the large gas kiln at Gotland. In collaboration with photographer and artist Elisabeth Ubbe, I have also explored ways to make my work stir powerful emotions, sometimes tender, sometimes unsettling.

Through everything I do, my aim is to give form to more than just clay. I want to spark reflection, to invite people to feel the presence of animals, and to remind us of our responsibility toward nature and the climate. My sculptures are my way of telling stories about life, vulnerability, and the power we have together to create change.

You must never forget that together we have the POWER to change!