Artist Spotlight: Leena Muley
This week we caught up with Philadelphia-based artist & designer, Leena Muley. Leena is the creator behind some of our shop's most beautiful & brightly colored ceramics. Scroll on to read our interview with her!
Can you introduce yourself for us - who you are, where you’re from, what you do?
Hi! I’m Leena Muley, and I’m a ceramic artist and designer. I was born and raised in London, England and lived in Brooklyn, New York for 9 years before moving to Philadelphia in June 2021. I’m now making my ceramics as an Associate Artist at the Clay Studio.
What's your zodiac sign?
Libra sun, Scorpio rising and Taurus moon
How did you get your start in your field of design?
I was the art nerd in school, and since young was infatuated with making things. My entry to design was through fashion. I remember playing with my Aji’s (Grandmother in Murathi) saris when I was 5 years old, making ‘dresses’ by wrapping the colorful, ornate fabrics around myself. At the age of 11, I was customizing my hand-me-downs (like turning my 80’s mom jeans into super cool 2000s flares…) and teaching myself how to make my own clothes. My path led to studying Fashion Design at Central Saint Martins and a 10-year career designing clothing for various companies across London, Paris, and New York.
Three years ago, I decided it was time to find an apartment in Brooklyn that I could live in without roommates. This move made me realize how little I had to make an apartment feel like a home – during that time I owned barely any dishware and didn’t even have cutlery! It was a perfect opportunity to apply my design eye to my home space to help me settle. I enrolled in a wheel-throwing class and quickly became obsessed with working in clay – starting with making a full dinnerware set for myself! Then, when the pandemic hit us, I recognized the home space was more important than ever for everyone else too. Through the encouragement from friends who bought my early work, I launched my webstore in September 2020. My love for working with color, pattern and texture now prevails in how I aim to create special ceramic pieces that can ease our everyday rituals and brighten our home comforts.
How and where do you find inspiration?
I find myself feeling inspired literally anywhere - from a pattern on a door frame sparking ideas of surface decoration, to analyzing the form of a bowl when I’ve gone to a restaurant for dinner. I love inundating myself with ideas by going to museums and burrowing into the arts and crafts sections of independent bookstores – you never know what sort of treasures you can find there!
What’s your favorite part about the design process?
For me, the most gratifying part of creating handmade ceramics is the wheel-throwing process. I love working the clay while it spins – the process requires finding a balance of centrifugal force while your hands push and pull the clay, working with it to form the vessel that you’ve been imagining. I often compare this feeling to a dance because the clay truly is your partner.
The process of throwing on a wheel takes focus and patience – and if you are distracted by your thoughts or start to rush, you inevitably start making mistakes. This need for serenity leads to a headspace that is both creative and meditative. I just put on my music and settle into a groove. Though it’s hard to keep that calm when you are trying to make a 100-piece order for your delivery deadlines!
Who are some other artists/designers/brands you look up to?
I love the use of color and pattern in artists such as Hilma Af Klint and Josef + Anni Albers as geometric color is a persistent aspect of my own work. Over the Holidays I went back to London and was deeply inspired by the Noguchi exhibition at the Barbican Center – his understanding of materials and form is incredible. You’ll be seeing some more curvaceous forms in my work to come!
Any words of wisdom for fellow makers or peers looking to get their business off the ground?
Set up a website! I found this part of launching my business so daunting, but taking photos of my work, designing the site, and writing the descriptions of my pieces really helped me define what I wanted to offer, and transformed a hobby into a legitimate business.
What is a dream project/goal for you?
My ultimate dream would be to buy a plot of land and build my own home, or to restore a beautiful old house with touches of my own designs. I have a vision of creating a mural out of handmade tiles for my bathroom one day!
WHAT’S YOUR RITUAL? What are some of your most important self-care rituals?
Working on a pottery wheel takes quite a physical toll on your body, so I’m trying to ritualize starting my day with 30 minutes of yoga – I must confess, this is not an easy ritual to maintain, because I am NOT a morning person! But the difference a consistent yoga practice makes on my body speaks for itself.
Mugs are among some of the beautiful ceramics you make! We've got to know...what's your favorite bev to sip from them?
I’m a huge fan of drinking tea and the ritual of teatime. I have a collection of teas I’ve collected from trips back home to London, but my ultimate go-to is a strong brew of Yorkshire black tea.
Your top 3 ritual shoppe product picks...
When I’m not elbow deep in clay, I love to wear rings; and Ritual Shoppe has so many gorgeous ones to choose from. My top pick would be Emily Keifer's Jacklyn Ring. The rich black pearl set simply with pink sapphires on each side, upon a rose gold band is utterly luxurious!
I’m into bold socks at present, so Antti Kekki’s colorful artwork featured in Slowdown Studio’s Yamada Socks is right up my alley.
Lastly, I’ve always been a sucker for a statement earring and have been eyeing Evelyn Godley’s Orbital Hoops as a great addition to my collection.
