Andrea Maria Kollar

From a small place in cultural Vienna, enriched with baroque surroundings, the “irregularly shaped” architecture takes on new life in the form of a handcrafted ceramic sculpture. Drawing on the pure simplicity of the feminine materiality and the natural lines and curves of ceramic art, Andrea Maria Kollar, Austrian artist and founder of A.M. Kollar, evokes a full sensory experience through her art that celebrates the sensual and unique nuances of all women regardless of shape, size or color. Where constraint breeds creativity, we speak to the artist daring us to question, via her sense of empowerment and self admiration as “we are all connected, we are all one, and every woman is a goddess in her own way.”

By Ashley Nicole Combs

Finding home in the countryside, modern minimalist In 2019, A.M. Kollar was officially born. “I saw my drawings as — Andrea Maria Kollar — has crafted a burgeoning sculptures and vases in front of me before I even knew how to career celebrating the irrepressible power and authentic make it happen,” laughs the artist. “When it came to technical beauty of all women. “I always knew I was an artist,” implementation, I found the ideal partner in the Viennese ceramheartens Kollar, “but since there are no other artists in my family, ics maestro, Herman Seiser. In his studio, all my ceramics pieces it wasn’t necessarily an easy path. And even as a child I wondered are created under his supervision. I model all my ceramics from where all the women were in art. Not only in the visual arts, but clay first. Then we make a negative out of plaster. On the basis also in literature, architecture, classical music. Why are most of of this negative form is then a plaster positive. On it I can once the artists we know men? No one could ever explain that to me again work on all the subtleties. Then the final negative molds for satisfactorily. That is why I decided all the more to become an the porcelain casting are created. Ceramics is such a beautifully artist.” First emerging in the fast paced fashion industry, sensual material and the possibilities are endless.” Kollar studied fashion design at the University of Applied Arts in Vienna Taking note of the resurgence of with Raf Simons, but the pull to her ceramics in recent years, Kollar recalls artistic side was too strong. “I worked in “I believe my paintings the less than warm reaction to her first the fashion industry for ten years before brush with these shapely sculptures, I started my own business in art,” shares and ceramics help “my colleagues in the fashion world Kollar. “I was a fashion buyer in Paris, I worked as a stylist, I organized photo women love themselves. found it very strange at that time,” admits the artist. “Fortunately, that’s shoots and fashion shows and worked as an art director. It was very exciting, They see my art and completely different now. I think this trend will definitely continue. The but also very stressful. I was on the road a lot, always where the fashion shows see themselves beautiful connection between human and nature will become even stronger in all areas were. You have to be born for this pace that is in fashion. I’m glad that I can and loved.” of art and design. This is a topic that is currently occupying many artists.” now observe fashion a bit more from a Communicating with her collectors via distance.” visual elements of soft lines and imperfect forms, this delicate architect elicits After working nearly sixty hours a week, an unrestrictive emotional connection the artist found solace and peace in her art, sharing her drawings of unconditional love and self appreciation that speaks for itself. and oil paintings on Instagram, never considering what possi- “I believe my paintings and ceramics help women love thembilities this would spark. “After a few weeks, people wrote to me selves. They see my art and see themselves beautiful and loved,” asking if they could buy my drawings. I will never forget that,” shares Kollar. Drawing inspiration from all the incredibly strong, reminisces Kollar. “The first thing I sold was a series of drawings loving and amazing women in her life — her friends, mother, to New York and then it became more and more.” An inspiration sister and grandmother — “my ceramics are all named after for those who crave to take the road less traveled, this daring them. ‘Hermione’, for example, was my grandmother. There is artist took the risk and quit her job confessing, “it was the only also a sculpture called ‘Grandmother, Mother, Daughter,’ but of way I could fully concentrate on my art. It was a very difficult course, there are many women from all different backgrounds time, but I would do it again and again! Ceramics were the next who inspire me. My vase ‘Sophia’ is named after Sophia Lauren, logical step for me. I wanted to develop my design language fur- ‘Mary’ after Mary Jackson, and ‘Marilyn’ after the beautiful ther and go from the two-dimensional to the three-dimensional. I Marilyn Monroe,” just to name a few. simply wanted to bring my drawings to life in three dimensions.”

Much like developing trends in the fashion world, interior design emerges in parallel with fashion. Art and decor of the home allow us to fully express how we truly view ourselves without judgement.

We surround ourselves with pieces and furnishings that make us feel safe, strong, vulnerable and elicit a sense of joy and gratitude when we are near them. Believing that less is more, this minimalist artist, devoid of over designed trends, resides in a small house in the countryside. “I don’t own a lot of furniture and accessories, but the ones I do own, I love, and they are mostly design classics or pieces I brought back from travels,” expresses Kollar. “It has evolved that way over the years. They were pieces I took with me every time I moved because my heart is attached to them. My living room table, for example, had its own seat on the plane because I discovered it in Stockholm and just had to take it with me. Luckily the seat was free anyways,” laughs the artist. Transforming each space of your home into a canvas of individual expression can be a bit arduous to some, but this seasoned craftsman shares with us her take to best express your distinct style. “Always listen to your gut and less to short-lived trends,” Kollar reveals. “You should surround yourself in your home only with things that you like from the bottom of your heart. Even if your own style changes and develops further, you have these things for a lifetime.”

This approach to simplicity as seen in her work, both elegant and modern in its minimalism, is very much a common thread to her daily life. These days you will most likely find the lovely Austrian artist in one of her two studios further developing her skills as ceramic art is ever-evolving. With a passion focused in getting your hands dirty, Kollar is an admirer of the effortless yet purpose-driven styles of Belgian design. “Most of the time I am working with oil paints, plaster, clay, or porcelain, so I wear simple pieces that can get dirty and can be washed often. Not very glamorous,” blushes Kollar. “I prefer to wear overalls, both at work and when I go out. My favorite designer is Dries van Noten.” As for the future, there are many new ceramic creations in the final stages for A.M. Kollar and in the autumn season, she and her team are planning a large exhibition in Vienna to showcase these exclusive pieces. As her business continues to grow, the team will plant a tree for every product sold and donate 10% of the profits to environmental organizations and non-governmental organizations that support women’s projects. As the porcelain cools and our conversation with Kollar comes to a close, the artist wants to leave you with these words: “What helped me a lot when I took the risk to start my own business with my art, even before I could really make a living out of it, was the sentence: ‘Imagine you were given a life, what would you do with it?’ At the time, I imagined my wise old self looking back on her life at eighty years old, having lived the best life of all. What would that life look like?”

“We are all connected, we are all one and every woman is a goddess in her own way.”

CBBetter Together with House of

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By Heather Marie Combs