b. 1951
Born: Haifa, Israel
Active ceramist: from childhood….professionally 43 years
Mentor: My mother/ my teacher, Hanna Charag-Zunz who instilled in me the curiosity and the love of clay
Why Clay?
Clay was my “seed bed”. My mother, Hanna Charag-Zunz, is one of the mothers of Israeli ceramics. After I completed my studies at Bezalel in Industrial Design, I found myself returning to my breeding ground. I learned the basics of ceramics from my mother. The lessons were all about making cylinders, only to be cut lengthwise and examined if they were made to perfection. The rest I am learning still to this day, through working and constant investigation into new contents and new challenges.
What do I want to convey?
The idea of ‘layers’ has been with me for years. Through layering I create effects which hint at geological strata, archeological layers, rings of tree trunks, landscapes and rocks on which time, rain, wind and sun have left their markings.
What characterizes my work process?
The wheel is my main tool. Most of my vessels are composed of elements which are made separately and then joined to create one complete work. The shape and the character of the work dictate how to treat the surface. Glaze is not only decoration, but an integral part of the creation. I am constantly searching for new glazes and make infinite amounts of tests. Much time and multiple experiments give me the control which allows me to plan the effects and get intended and not chance results.
My tools of choice… Can’t create without them:
A simple kidney which I cut out from an old credit card and the found spike of a porcupine.
Absolutely necessary in my working environment?
Calm and quiet, sometimes music or a good book in the background, and my old and familiar tools
