About
A Practice Rooted in the Swedish South
I work from my studio in Lund, set in the open, rural landscape of southern Sweden. It’s a place that shapes my practice as much as any technique: the long summers, the surrounding forests, and the pale grey light of the Nordic winter all find their way, indirectly, into my forms. My focus is functional ceramics: cups, bowls and vases I want people to reach for as often as they want to simply look at them, each one carrying something of the landscape it was made in.
Warmly,
Julia Martin
The Process
Birch, Ash, and Glaze
At the heart of my work is birch wood ash, gathered from the forests around my studio and worked into glazes I mix by instinct rather than recipe. Fired, the ash settles into soft, uneven surfaces in shades of grey and amber, sometimes flecked with unburned mineral, that read less like a finish and more like a landscape rendered in miniature. It’s a way of glazing that lets the Swedish countryside itself have the final say over how each piece turns out.
The Studio
A New Studio in Lund
Recently I opened a new studio in Lund, and it’s where I now work every day. The space sits close to nature, with an easy, restorative calm that comes through the moment you step inside, and it’s exactly the kind of place that keeps me inspired.
I would love for you to come and be part of it. I run classes here for people who want to try their hand at clay, and the studio also holds a small shop, where you can look for a unique piece of ceramics, whether for yourself or as a gift. It is a lovely place to spend an afternoon, or even a full day, together.