Currently Coveting: Slow Ceramics from Estudio Vernís in Spain

When I need inspiration—and a workday break from screens—I like to wander through the impeccable Viand Mercantile in Portland, Maine. (Highly recommend if you’re stopping through town this summer.)

On a recent visit, I spotted an impossibly beautiful shallow bowl, dark and evocative, patterned like lichen on rocks, made by Estudio Vernís. Which prompted some digging: Based in the town of Castell de Castells, Spain, Estudio Vernís is “a workshop that celebrates craft and the unexpectedness of wood-firing.” According to the makers, “the studio was founded in the mountains of Alicante in 2019 by Alejandra and Coke, a duo who wanted to make use of their hands and natural resources to make something they identified with.

“They aspire to a world where every object contains the traces of the hands that made it. That is why their fingerprints are in every step of the process, from the pinching of the clay, to the formulation of the glazes or the foraging of the wood, leaving a mark in a lasting and natural material.”

I’ve been coveting each of their evocative, one-of-a-kind pieces since. Have a look:

Above: A collection of individually made, slowly made pieces from Estudio Vernís, including—for a good start to the day—a ceramic egg Cruet front and center (“finished, unpredictably, by ashes”; €35 directly from Estudio Vernís) and a perfectly imperfect ceramic Tosta toast rack at left (€87).

Above: The Estudio Vernís Deep Plate is “the plate for everything and anything. Deep enough for a soup, flat enough for a sandwich. The steady companion for everyday. Made by hand in our studio. Fired with pine wood in our backyard.” It’s $48 from Viand Mercantile. Above: The practical and multi-use Estudio Vernís Mini Bowl: “suitable for serving olive oil or keeping your jewelry” (or for some small snacks). The bowls are $22 each from Viand Mercantile. Above: Deep and beguiling, the Estudio Vernís Platera is hand-built, so each is unique. This one is $185 from Viand Mercantile. Above: In the Palma wall-mounted candle holder, “the candle rests, perfectly framed by the glittered clay, waiting to be lit.” It’s €98 from Estudio Vernís.

Above: For more of the workshop’s handmade offerings, head to Estudio Vernís.