Thank you for visiting my space.
I'm Renata Catena, a Brazilian woman passionate about clay and the stories it holds.
Ceramics came into my life at a meaningful time and slowly became a path.
Today, I keep creating with my hands, in my own rhythm, with an open heart.
Each piece teaches me something.
I’m grateful to be able to share a bit of this with you.
Although I’m still new to this world, I began my path in ceramics in September 2024 and have already shaped over 200 pieces, one by one, learning and putting my heart into each step.
Ceramics came into my life at a moment when I needed to slow down. I started as someone simply looking for a quiet moment — no rush, just to breathe. And it slowly became part of my routine, part of how I live.
Interwoven — 縄文の手 (Jōmon no Te) Inspired by the ancestral Japanese coil-building technique, this piece was built by hand, layer by layer, in a meditative and challenging process.
The Hands of Jōmon 縄文 (Jōmon) = literally “cord pattern”, the name of the ancient Japanese pottery period that inspired this work. の (no) = possessive particle, similar to “of”. 手 (te) = hand.
May handicrafts be increasingly valued in Brazil—for all that they represent: history, culture, and identity.
I spent Sunday at the 19th Handicraft Fair at Ibirapuera, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., with my mother, Elizabeth, and my aunt Silvia. We visited stand by stand, talked to many exhibitors, and I left with my head full of ideas and my heart full.
My work began at a moment when I was seeking silence — and I found it in clay.
I'm Renata Catena, and I'm still at the beginning of my path as a ceramicist. I’ve been learning slowly, with my hands and with time — through attempts, mistakes, and the small joys that come along the way. I come from a fast-paced life — I run a business, I’m involved in social projects — but it was through ceramics that I found a different space. A quieter rhythm, more grounded. A pace that invites presence.
