We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Bella Betiato. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Bella below.

Bella, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?

My journey as a potter has been one of discovery and appreciation for the craft more so than a formal path. I felt the calling to work with clay, and due to its fluid artistic essence, I leaned into it with ease. From classes to online videos (thanks, YouTube) to developing a healthy obsession for the practice and studying pottery everywhere I go, it has become almost second nature to see ceramics and decipher the artist behind them.

I believe a balance of practice and knowing when to step away and come back to the wheel in alignment is key to learning to work with mud. I’ve heard from teachers and active creators that practice is everything. While I agree it’s a big part, I have personally developed a respect and appreciation for the process that functions a bit like a dance—you step away and feel the urge to play, as opposed to adhering to a strict practice schedule.

Working as a brand designer for many years gave me a solid foundation in visual storytelling, strategic thinking, and creating objects that positively influence people’s lives. But it wasn’t until I started Monaad that I truly embodied my creative intuition and embraced fluid self-expression. That blend of disciplined practice and flexible creativity has been my guiding force.

Obstacles have come in the form of the universal urge to turn something we love into a job. I strive to cultivate the ideal of living the craft, as opposed to working for it.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I am a Brazil-born, LA-based potter and the creator of Monaad, a mud studio and lifestyle brand that celebrates gentle living and intentionality. My journey into pottery began as a therapeutic activity but soon evolved into a way of life.

Monaad offers a variety of handcrafted ceramics that embody the principles of slow living and nowness. My collections include tumblers, bowls, candles, and decorative pieces. Each item is crafted with care, emphasizing craftsmanship, balance, and a connection to the everyday beauty of functional art.

What sets Monaad apart is its emphasis on gentle living—a philosophy that prioritizes mindfulness and simplicity in the everyday. These attributes are reflected in the pieces through their simplistic, functional design and timeless expression, which elevate rituals of pouring, sharing, sipping, and simply being.

I’m most proud of the interconnection between the grounded act of creating something from the earth and the inspiration it brings to cultivate space and intentionality in life’s simple moments.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

At my core, I’m a planner. With a clear direction of where I’m aiming to go, I love to map out the path to take me there. But to be honest, all of that goes out the window when it comes to clay. It’s truly a new way of living. It asks for fluidity and softness. I’ve learned not to limit it with specific goals but instead to allow it to show me the path through the process.

What that means is that I follow my instincts on what to create, how far to take it, and how to bring it to the world. That usually unlocks something beautiful that I could not have planned. I guess, in a way, that’s my goal and mission: to continue to learn, embrace the purity of the practice, the way it asks for alignment and intentionality, and, from there, watch where it takes me.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

A lesson I had to unlearn is the belief that life has to be hard and that constant hard work is the only path to success. Growing up, my dad instilled in me a strong work ethic, emphasizing the importance of discipline and the need to push through challenges like a workhorse. While his intentions were rooted in teaching me resilience, I realized over time that this mindset led me to live a life centered around money, endless effort, and it just didn’t seem right to me.

I began craving more — a life of freedom, creativity, and artistry — I understood then the limitation of that belief. I didn’t want my days to revolve around working hard to survive and exist in the world; I wanted them to feel full of purpose and flow. I wanted to create not out of obligation, but out of inspiration. Learning to let go of the idea that life must be difficult to be meaningful was liberating. It allowed me to see that fulfilment doesn’t always come from pushing harder but from aligning my work with my passion and allowing life to unfold with intention.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.monaad.com/
• Instagram: @monaadstudio | @bellabetiato
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bella-betiato-43777b56/