Lucia Zamberletti — The Poetry of Nature in Italian Handmade Ceramics
- Nov 12
- 4 min read
In her home studio in Varese — the lush “garden city” north of Milan —, Italian ceramic artist Lucia Zamberletti creates sculptural compositions that seem to bloom from the earth itself. Her Italian handmade ceramics, known for their tactile contrasts and quiet vitality, reflect a deep devotion to nature’s rhythms — its transformations, imperfections, and extraordinary beauty.
Through her Bloomen and Funghi collections, Zamberletti explores the meeting of opposites: polished and rough surfaces, organic and geometric volumes, movement and stillness.
We spoke with Lucia about her creative process, her relationship with nature, and the meaning of beauty.
There’s a clear philosophy that guides your practice. What inspires your work?
At the heart of my practice lies a deep admiration — almost a devotion — for the natural world. Every day, I try to find the silence and space to observe it: from my window, while waiting at a traffic light, or during a walk.
I notice details that others might overlook — moss on bark, a dry leaf, a berry changing colour, a mushroom appearing from nowhere. I praise these things and hold onto their beauty. This has become a kind of daily ritual, a way of cultivating wonder and presence.
The variety in nature moves me deeply. Its endless forms of beauty multiply before our eyes and become a continuous source of inspiration.
How would you like your work to be perceived by those who bring it into their homes?
I love the idea that an instant connection can form between myself and the person who welcomes one of my pieces — even if we’ve never met. Through the object, a silent relationship is created, one where the aesthetic power of the work and a shared idea of beauty can flourish.
People perceive not only the value of the handmade but also the uniqueness of thought and care that shaped it. For me, craftsmanship means transforming material into a sensory experience.
My pieces are designed to live freely within different environments — they can stand alongside design objects, antiques, or other ceramics. Each home becomes a reflection of personal taste, emotion, and memory.
You create in small series and limited editions. What does that mean for you?
Producing a limited number of pieces each year is essential to my process. Every sculpture is unique — the result of individually fired elements that come together in new and unexpected ways.
With each cycle, I introduce new materials, effects, and experiments. In my Bloomen collection — also known as Blooming Totems — geometric and organic shapes coexist; smooth glazed surfaces meet rough, smoky textures.
Even the idea of “blooming,” the totem in movement, stands in contrast with the stillness of the sculpture itself. I like to think of it as a metaphor for life — quiet but in constant transformation.
Tradition and Italian Handmade Ceramics. What role does tradition play in your creative process?
My encounter with ceramics began thanks to my aunt, Giovanna Zighetti, who has been a ceramist for more than thirty years. In her studio, I first learned to work with terracotta, engobes, and glaze — the foundations of my exploration.
Later, I felt the need to understand the cultural and historical dimensions of ceramics. I studied the stories of artists like Antonia Campi, Lucie Rie, Beatrice Wood, and Betty Woodman, discovering a lineage of brilliant, experimental women who shaped the language of clay.
Tradition, for me, is a conversation — a bridge between what came before and what is yet to come.
What are you trying to express through your work?
I try to remain faithful to myself and create something truly original — without calculation, without following trends. In today’s world, our gaze and desires are constantly influenced and shaped by external forces. Cultivating one’s own aesthetic vision becomes a daily act of awareness.
Our individual tastes tell the story of who we are — shaped by our experiences, our sensitivity, and our personal rhythms. My Italian handmade ceramics are my way of practicing this awareness. They are imperfect, intuitive, and human — quiet reflections of an inner landscape.
About the Designer
Born in Varese in 1982, Lucia Zamberletti studied Fashion Design at IED Milan and worked in product development for brands including Missoni and Andrea Incontri before dedicating herself to ceramics in 2018.
From her home studio in Varese, she hand-craft each piece using both electric and raku firing techniques, ensuring that no two sculptures are ever the same. Lucia’s work has been shown internationally — from Rossana Orlandi and Galerie Philia to OmVed Gardens in London and Svenskt Tenn in Stockholm.
“Beauty is instinctive yet complex — a sum of hidden details. Cultivating our personal taste is an intimate, daily journey.”— Lucia Zamberletti
Exhibitions
Patricia Low Art Gallery, Gstaad — 2018/19
Spazio Rossana Orlandi, Milan — 2018/19
Milan Design Week “Living Objects” by Artemest — 2019
Bergdorf & Goodman, New York — 2019/21
Châteaux du Marais, Paris — 2020
OmVed Gardens, London — 2021
Collect Art Fair, London — 2023
Svenskt Tenn “A Postcard from Italy”, Sweden — 2023
Clay Garden, Brescia, Italy — 2023
Fresh Art Fair, UK — 2023
Milan Design Week “L’Appartamento” by Artemest — 2024–2025
“Unexpected Connections”, solo online exhibition with Thrown Gallery — 2024
Discover the Collection
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Read more stories like this in the Avant Crafts Journal.
