In the studio: Pithy Lab
Barcelona-based artist, Rita, creates statement jewellery and homewares from geometric pieces of wood.
Hello, who are you?
Hey! I’m Rita, an Italian graphic designer based in the sunny Barcelona. Here, in my small workshop, I turn my geometric designs into wooden pieces.
Tell us about your creative journey. How did you get started with crafting your beautiful wooden pieces?
I've always loved working with my hands and making things. At university I studied graphic design and I really enjoyed it. Then I started to work for a graphic design studio and after a few years I felt I needed a change. I realised I really missed painting and making stuff with my hands. During those years I discovered the laser-cut technique, so I decided to combine the two worlds I love: the design and technologies world and the artistic one.
I started to design and paint jewellery and at the beginning this was my hobby. Nowadays, after six years of experimenting, it’s my full-time job and my passion. I moved to Barcelona four years ago and at the end of 2019 my boyfriend and I opened our atelier (studio) in the Gràcia neighbourhood. Running my small business, in a peaceful and inspiring workshop, has always been a dream of mine!
How do you plan your designs?
Sometimes ideas come suddenly to my mind, other times I do research to find inspirations. After the brainstorming process I start drawing on paper and then on the computer. When all the designs are ready I prototype them on paper and when the final pieces are ready I send them to a laser-cut studio. Once all the wooden parts are cut, they need to be cleaned and sanded. Finally they are ready to be painted... I love this part!
What inspires your work?
Nature with its beauty, architecture with its shapes, art with its colour – all these elements are a precious inspiration source for my work. I love simple forms, geometric elements and experimenting different colour palettes. Exploring colours and shapes fill me with harmony and joy. I really hope I can bring a bit of this joy through my designs!
What do you enjoy the most about working with wood?
Wood is a natural and beautiful material that can be used in a number of ways. It allows me to materialise my ideas and the thing I enjoy the most is that I can paint it.
What does a usual day look like for you?
I always try to wake up early because I have more energy during the morning and I like the morning light. First of all... a good cup of coffee, then I check the emails and after that I sit at my table, I put some music on or a podcast and I start to paint pieces or pack orders.
After lunch I take care of my plants in our little backyard and... back to work! After a day at the Lab, I like to cook a tasty dish or take a walk in the neighbourhood.
Can you tell us a bit about Pithy Lab where all of your creating happens?
I used to work in our teeny flat but the space started to be really small. After a long search, my boyfriend and I found a perfect place for us in a Barcelona’s neighbourhood that we love. We painted and decorated it with second-hand furniture and with our designs.
Pithy Lab is now a cosy and lovely place where people can come to pick up their orders or say hi!
Tell us about your packaging. It looks like your jewellery is sent to customers on wooden holders? This is such a clever idea!
Thank you! Hand-painted jewellery needs protection to preserve them. I also wanted to find an original way to keep them safe – they deserve the kindness you give to all your precious things.
Wooden holders are a singular way to display the jewellery too.
So for the the majority of my pieces, I design the jewellery and the packaging together, as a unique creation. I take great care in making my processes as eco-friendly as possible and this idea allows me to optimise all the space I have on a wooden sheet.
Is there a meaning behind your business name?
My dearest friends used to call me Pithy. So this nickname reminds me of the love and the emotional bond with them. A love that I put in all my creations.
Barcelona, Spain
