Magical attraction emanates from the circular, slightly concave plates, whose motifs and patterns unfold their effect as concentric compositions. From the decorative big they lure the observer into the ravishingly attractive cosmos of small details, the sum of which is the result of masterful craftsmanship.
For many years already, the ceramicist couple Katarina Loeber and Thomas Loeber-Buchmann have recognised the challenges of the impressive plate format as the ideal stage for their design ideas. Together or alone, they create magnificent unique pieces - decorative plates that are striking as a picture on the wall or as an eye-catching living accessory.
In their workshop they use a technique that is close to the methods of flat and gravure printing. Suitably prepared plaster surfaces serve as printing blocks, from which the coloured porcelain slips, applied in layers, are taken off with a still flexible, moisty clay. These laterally reversed motifs of the copy offer the starting point for further, diverse design possibilities of the surfaces, especially in the collage or inlay technique. The plastic shaping is achieved by inserting and overmoulding the arrangements backed with the clay layer. Being leather-hard, a further, graphic processing, e.g. by scoring, is possible.
After the firing, the viewer can see through transparent glaze the compositions of different porcelain layers, which lie on the carrier layer of the stoneware clay: Finest, illustrative details. Deeply illusory, delicate craquelée. Watercolour-like moving shades of colour next to bold colours. Spatial floating, overlapping stylistic contrasts and many more effects can be discovered and motivate to take a look at the whole and its details again and again. The desire for more of this inspires especially collectors.
Katarina Loeber and Thomas Loeber-Buchmann both come from ceramicist families. They both completed their studies in ceramics, painting and sculpture during the 1990s at the Burg Giebichenstein University of Art and Design in Halle (Saale), where they still live and work today.
