Chosen

Since discovering a love for ceramics in her teens, Dawn Hajittofi always planned to work with clay and become a maker. Although life ultimately took her on a different path, she decided in later years to pursue her original passion. She became a full time maker in 2019. Dawn currently lives and works in Surrey.

Dawn takes her inspiration from the unpredictable and unexpected nature of life’s events. She aims to convey the possibilities of hope and transformation.

Each of her pieces is thrown in earthenware and decorated with abstract marks using a combination of slips, underglazes and oxides. Partially glazed and fired several times, Dawn also adds gilt to the surface. This references the ancient Japanese art of ‘Kintsugi’ in which a treasured ceramic, if broken, can be repaired using gold. She considers this to be a metaphor for our own lives. A reminder to stay hopeful when things fall apart and celebrate what we learn from our flaws and missteps.