Bianca Pintan is a ceramicist and sculptor born and raised in Brazil, now based in the coastal town of Byron Bay, Australia. The vessels and sculptural pieces of her collections are the result of Bianca’s expansive and evolving art journey focusing on form, feel and uniqueness. Each piece is instinctively designed and hand-crafted.⁠ We are beyond proud to represent Biancas work in Western Australia.⁠ 

Tell us about your journey in becoming a ceramic artist. How did it begin?

My journey as a ceramic artist began as soon as I touched clay for the first time. I fell in love with the medium, as if I always knew how to work with it. From there onwards, I immersed myself in the art of clay, and here I am. 

You were born and raised in Brazil. Does your cultural heritage translate into or influence your practice?

My background means a lot to my practice today. I was privileged to be raised in the countryside of Brazil, and I always loved exploring my surroundings. My life experiences and beings hands-on since I remember myself, have a strong influence on my work. All the colours and textures I was exposed to at the farm where I grew up are present in my pieces. 

How would you define the style of your work, and how did it develop?

I find it tricky to define my style, as my work is continuously developing. I am passionate about all steps entailed in creating my work, and each piece teaches me a little bit more about my practice. It's safe to say that when making, I'm looking to create something beautiful, not seen before, a piece that makes me feel good about what I create. 

Does your creative process start from a particular image in your mind, or do you work intuitively?

Both. At times, I have a clear vision of where I am going with a piece, and I draw something up to guide me in the process, but other times I just let it flow. Sometimes I let the clay show me what it wants to be, so I completely change the direction of where I was going. It's a free flow of form and creation. 

Colour plays an integral part in your recent collection. How do you perceive the relationship between colour and form?

I can definitely say that I'm looking for the combination of colour and shape that will make the observer stop and look closely. It's what I love the most - bringing people to the present moment, taking a breath and time to study the piece.

It's very interesting and complex - colour is the first thing that we notice. The shape comes second, with the textures playing a huge part in how the colour is perceived. Not every form likes every colour, and it has been an amazing process of putting colours and shapes together. 

Do you have a dream project that you would love to realize someday?

There are a few. I have just finished developing one of the projects that I have been dreaming of for a while. I'm making ceramic lamps, but nothing like what you can think of when someone says "lamp", something completely new, unique! I am so excited to share this work!

If you could spend 30 minutes with an artist, who would it be and why?

Francis Mallamann. He is a chef, an artist who creates masterpieces outdoors, using fire and often surrounded by nature. I admire his mindset and the way he approaches life. He's an inspiration!

What is the song that can be most frequently heard from your studio?

When choosing songs to listen to, I love Brazilian music - MPB is so rich, and it was part of my life growing up in Brazil. Both my parents had great taste in music. But recently, I've been listening to the birds from the national park and the waves breaking as my studio playlist.