WHERE HEAD, HANDS AND HEART MEET

NADYA ANNE MANGION USES HER SCIENTIFIC BACKGROUND AND INSPIRATION FROM THE COASTLINE AND SEA, TO CREATE HER FINE CERAMICS. WE TALK TO HER ABOUT HER JOURNEY.

After many years of painting and drawing, I attended a course at the Malta School for Arts where my perception of art as an ‘industry’ changed for the better. Whilst I had this uplift there was still something missing. In 2005, I happened upon a call for applications at MCAST for pottery throwing – by now I was in my 30’s – but from the very first time I tried it – it was an awakening, and I knew I wanted to do this for the rest of my life!

By discovering it later in life, I was able to use my experience and fathom out how to work around issues. It was a couple of years before I bought a kiln and started to use a clay sp ecific to the technique I fire in and buy raw materials like clays and glazes to create the ‘recipe’ for th e methods I wanted to experiment with. I’m heavily inspired by the sea even on a rough day, our coastline, the colours and the forms, and I wanted to capture these in my work.

I was introduced to Raku firing, which was quite new to Malta at the time, and I found the firing process fascinating and with my Bachelors in Chemistry and Physics, I understood the science.

This whole genre was a revelation and so the investment into new equipment began.I built my own gas kilns to be able to feed my appetite for this work.

The process takes me about a month; I hand build my pots and vessels, usually they are around a half meter in height, and with very fine walls; this is more unusual for raku.

The colours are mixed from raw with metal oxides as part of the recipe and harking back to the inspiration of the sea, I also used dried seaweed in the firing process for certain pieces as it gives a particular look. I still love to experiment; smoothness or texture of the surface of materials will affect the glaze and give different effects and I love the challenge of manipulating the intensity of the colours too. It is very scientific and this amalgamates my creative and scientific sides.

I have exhibited in a number of collectives and in 2019, had my very first solo. My next is coming up in

June at the Postal Museum in Valletta and between shows I have pushed the boun daries and my work is light and also creates an unexpected show resembling the female form when light is shone throu gh them; we discovered this while photographing!

I instinctively make pots and vessels but do also have a series of female torsos mo unted on limestone plinths, are a continuation of the drawing skills I learned while studying. I still find it incredible that a lump of mud – because that’s what we are talking about – can end up as something so aesthetically pleasing.

I’m proud to say that I have a few pieces overseas and am still challenging myself and science – to create my art.

INSPIRED BY NADYA ANNE’S STORY? WHY NOT TRY YOUR HAND AT A WORKSHOP?

WE BRING YOU THE BEST THAT THE MALTESE KITCHEN HAS TO OFFER WITH RECIPES INSPIRED BY MEDITERRANEAN AND EUROPEAN CUISINE.