Italian threads
Combining her formal studies with her love of the loom, Katerina spends her days in Ravenna weaving colourful designs and giving forgotten rattan pieces a second life.
Hello, who are you?
Hello! I'm a 28-year-old Turkish-Polish girl currently living in Ravenna, Italy. I was born in Istanbul and studied and worked there for 27 years until I moved to Italy a year ago to live with my boyfriend. I combined my education with my experiences in the field and decided to create Studio Potato.
When and why did you start weaving and creating fibre art pieces?
I graduated from a Fine Arts University in Istanbul. My field was carpet, kilim and fabric designing. So I was introduced to this art when I was in university and fell in love with it! After a while I realised that the weaving loom is a great place to express myself and show my creativity. I decided to mix my traditional education with other techniques and materials.
What do you enjoy most about running your own small business?
To be free! I can use my creativity and ideas however I want. I work on materials, designs, photo shoots, accounts and sales all by myself. It can be tough from time to time since it’s a small business, but especially as a young woman it gives me a lot of encouragement and power.
I love the pieces you have made with old rackets and magazine racks. Where do you find these items?
Thank you! A few months ago I discovered a secondhand shop in my city and decided to take a look inside. As soon as I saw the rattan objects, the idea came to me. First I started with old pasta strainers and rackets, and then continued with magazine racks and baskets. It started to get a bit harder to find them at secondhand shops, so I started to search for broken products in big stores to try and fix them and weave on them! The idea is to give them a second chance.
What inspires your designs?
Mostly nature itself inspires me, as well as all the colours and life! Sometimes I search for colour palettes and try to get an idea, but mostly it’s details in daily life that give me all the ideas I need. I don't believe that you need too many things to be inspired.
What is your creative space like?
Well we have a small house so I don’t have my own space to work, I just have a cabinet to put my yarns in. But still, I am pretty fast with weaving by just sitting on the couch and watching TV!
What does the average day look like for you?
Starting with coffee, posting pictures and getting inspired on Instagram. I get in touch with other artists, do some weaving or make some final touches (sometimes it's really important to sleep on it and take a look at it the next day). I might also take pictures or search the internet to find new ideas. And going to the post office when I have an order, which becomes the best time of my day!
How long does a piece usually take you to make?
If I make a simple wall hanging it takes around four hours, but if I decide to add embroidery on them or try different techniques, it takes around 10 hours. For the baskets, let’s say mostly two days.
What are you working on right now?
Lately I am fascinated with tropical life and I’ve decided to learn more about colourful birds. That’s why I’ve started on a small project of five parrots. Hopefully it will be ready soon.
Right: Katerina’s completed parrot weaving.
What puts you in the mood to create?
Sharing the results with the people I love is priceless to me. All the support and love always put me in the mood for doing the best I can.
Follow along with Katerina on Instagram – @studiopotatoo
Location: Ravenna, Italy
