a clay between your hands
with perfect understanding
that all your hidden shells
are shelters of your longing
to touch and hold the earth
a whisper of belonging
HERE WE ARE
The two longtime friends behind POTTERY & POETRY. We are an architect who has a passion for ceramics and a lawyer who likes to juggle with words.
The project was born spontaneously at a dinner party with the modest idea to increase our personal time in the “art zone” of life. Now things look different and this little time we’ve wanted to steal has become our main occupation.
So sometimes it’s nice when we have spontaneous ideas to jump into the rabbit hole, because one impulse and a small step can be a whole new world. Now let’s see what’s next.
Love ххх,
Zory & Mimi
OUR PLACE
Selling online worldwide is a success for any business. Hosting a gallery and an artisan workshop is a dream come true for any artist and craftsman. We got them all and we couldn’t be happier.
team
MARIA BALEVA
founder / designer / ceramic artist
Mimi has the skills of a master and the discipline of an apprentice. The passion of an artist and the precision of a scientist. With qualities like these, she can be anything she wants. Good for the humanity she wants to craft and create, and infuse everyday objects with artistic energy. It brings her pleasure and satisfaction. It makes the world a more beautiful and bearable place to live in.
ZORNITSA GENOVA
founder / poetry / communication
your eyes are haunting me directly
they are black as a night
with thousand burning torches
I feel that touching you would hurt me
with the pain I’ve always wanted
so now I know you are the wizard
as I might be the witch he‘s always hunted
NATALIYA ZHELYAZKOVA
ceramic artist / production manager
If Mimi is the aesthetic and Zory the romantic part of Pottery & Poetry, then Nati is the somatic.
For 8 years now she’s been accumulating knowledge on materials and ingredients over her quest to find the best pots to cook in. So if we ever launch a cooking dishes line (and we will) it would be thanks to Nati.
zlatka vacheva
ceramic artist / graphics
Her name in Bulgarian comes from gold. Coincidentally (absolutely not) she is the head of our gold-plating department. Zlati jumped ship in the mids of a huge order with a tight deadline and started sculpting clay as if she’s done it her whole life. No one was surprised though, since her background is theater set design. When you can draw, have spatial thinking and understanding of materials, you are already a pottery prospect. Or in Zlati’s case – a pottery pro.
ELENA MINKOVA
ceramics
HERITAGE
We consider ourselves modern and imaginative, yet we are not afraid to draw inspiration from the abundance of ceramic legacy we inherited from the traditional Bulgarian artisans. Old patterns re-invented, ancient techniques re-discovered. Originality rooted in customs and culture.
RESPECT
From the materials we choose (mostly local, Bulgarian), to the people we work with and the packaging we ship in, every detail in our handmade production is aimed to be as conscious as possible. With appreciation to our customers, recognition to our caftswomen and concern for our planet.