LISELOTTE WATKINS’ CERAMICS

The Swedish artist and illustrator talks us through her hand-painted ceramics – where women are abstractly depicted on vintage Italian vessels

Where did you get the idea to paint vintage ceramics?

I started collecting the vessels on my travels and, a !er a while, they began to form a nice li"le group. They looked like an army of women, so that’s what I decided to make them.

Where do you buy the vessels from?

I’m constantly hunting for traditional vintage Italian oil, wine and water vessels and have been doing so for four years now. I buy them from all over Italy – the shapes and forms are di #erent depending on which part of the country they were made in. During the summer, we spend time in Sicily and I buy many of them at the street markets and antiques shops of Palermo. I’ve also bought in Procida and Puglia – the region has a wonderful tradition of ceramics. I have some favourite shapes that I keep buying. At the moment I love oversized pieces (especially round, fat ones), which are harder to come by.

What inspires the pa!erns?

My works mostly feature women and their lives. I take inspiration from the people around me. In Rome, I have a tight support system – women of every age and from all walks of life. As a Swedish woman coming from a very equal country, the Italian patriarchy is so di $cult to understand. The women are so strong here. You have the feeling that they are running the whole show.

How does working with 3D materials di "er from painting?

Working with 3D materials is easier. You have help from the shape of the vessels – they lead the way. Now I’m also painting on canvas and together the ceramics and paintings form a universe. They play o# each other. The stories are told through both.

Tell us what you are working on at the moment

I’m still working on both paintings and ceramics and my exhibition at CFHill art gallery in Stockholm opens at the end of August. My last exhibition, two years ago, consisted of 24 pieces, and in this one there will be around 13. My favourite object from the collection is a really large jug depicting clumsy ballerinas dancing around. I’m also working on a small collection with Italian design brand Bitossi. Contact the Swedish art gallery CFHill in Stockholm for more information about upcoming exhibitions of Liselo!e’s artworks and ceramics. c" hill.com

Liselotte teams her own artwork with vintage finds, such as this horse head and sculpture (displayed on a vintage Ikea sideboard).

Liselotte’s art depicts the female form and is inspired by her friends in Italy. She finds the vessels in antiques markets on her travels around Italy and favours the more unusual ceramics, such as the large vase she’s pictured painting.