Meet the maker: Perth porcelain artist Beste Ogan

Originally from Turkey, the talented porcelain artist Beste Ogan completed design studies at the University of New South Wales but now calls Perth home. With an earthy yet sophisticated aesthetic, she’s a perfect fit for YU Interior (we have plenty of her gorgeous wares in our show room) and we caught up with her recently to learn a bit more about her artistic process.

TABAK 'Leather Series'

“My inspiration usually comes from natural materials and objects as well as finding design solutions to everyday needs. It could be the texture of a driftwood or a leaf, or the odd shape of a seashell,” says Beste of the organic feel of her creations.

ADA 'Pebble Series'

“I strive to create intimate functional ceramic objects that invite the person to touch and caress – timeless minimalistic designs that are a pleasure to use every day. They celebrate the ‘beauty of the imperfect’, reflecting colours, textures and forms derived from nature. It’s important for me that everything I design and make is not only visually beautiful but also functional, tactile and ergonomic. I believe good design has the power to make people happy,” says Beste.

ADA 'Pebble Series'

The beauty of Beste’s work is that not only does it look beautiful but it’s practical too. “Sometimes I may be cooking at home and realise a certain size or shape of bowl or platter would be so handy. When I have a new idea, I live with it for quite some time, turning it over and over in my head. I ask myself, is it something people need? Would it be easy to use? Would it fit in the dishwasher? How complicated would it be to make? Quite a bit of research goes into my design process before I decide to go ahead with a piece,” says Beste.

TABAK 'Leather Series'

One of Beste’s latest collections is the stunning ADA ‘Pebble Series’ dinnerware range. “ADA, which means ‘island’ in Turkish, stemmed from cherished memories of holidaying at Bozcaada (a small island on the Aegean Sea) collecting pebbles, swimming for hours in crystal clear turquoise waters and ending days at the beach with mouth-watering seafood, mezze and local wine. As dinnerware, I sought to capture the translucency of white quartz pebbles via white porcelain and the natural swirls and layers of rocks via impromptu marbling,” says Beste.