Ceramics by Lina LaV

Hi! My name is Melina LaVecchia Daniels. I graduated from Appalachian State in 2014 with a BFA in Art Education and concentration in ceramics . I fell in love with ceramics in college but did not understand the medium until I took a leap and bought my own studio after almost failing my throwing classes. I met my husband, Jacob Daniels , who is also an artist and carpenter, and all around my biggest supporter and encouragement in this journey of creating a handmade life. I was raised by two Italian Chefs, who taught me from an early age, the art and soul of hospitality. Not only did they regard the dinner table as one of the most important parts of building a family, they paid special attention to the details in dining, and how food relates to it's 'canvas', the plate, the presentation. This foundation has been one of my driving forces when it comes to creating modern tableware...How is this plate going to relate to the meal .... that inherently relates to us. Food and spending time around the table was something my family kept as a core value in our family life and life in our community. My mother collected beautiful dinnerware, china, linens, ceramics, silver and glasses... that she adored dressing the tables with each night. She always said "Why save your special settings for special occasions, bring out the silver!"... My father being the driving force behind ritual, nightly dinners, created a space of comfort, encouragement and inspiration around the table, thus, becoming the backbone behind my ceramics.