Artist Statement
Lydia Loukeli is a self taught ceramics artist born in Athens, Greece. With a Civil Engineering background she has worked full time in the corporate world for many years. During pandemic, reflections on what she wanted her life to be, led her to an intense relationship with art and clay. Her work is very emotive and explorative, investigating questions of place and purpose.
She mainly focuses on handbuilt ceramics using traditional methods of coiling and slab building and employs various high firing clay bodies for different purposes. Seeing perfection in every ‘imperfection’ many of her pieces have intentional ripped or rough edges and unglazed areas. She is drawn to the organic nature of the material pushing the boundaries of its properties and of unexpected high firing processes, and making her own textured glazes.
Commercially she has worked with UK and internationally-based clients ranging from high end restaurants, hotels to interior designers and art collectors directly. Her latest work for Hertog Jan at the Botanic Sanctuary in Antwerp was featured in the 'Worlds 50 Best Restaurants' .