We were lucky to catch up with Inès Angelini recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Inès, thanks for joining us today. I’m sure there have been days where the challenges of being an artist or creative force you to think about what it would be like to just have a regular job. When’s the last time you felt that way? Did you have any insights from the experience?

I am very happy as an artist. I feel fulfilled and grounded in my life. Previously, I had a more typical job. I was a lawyer at a company specializing in intellectual property law. However, I didn’t feel in harmony with myself in that profession. There was too much stress, tension, and pressure that I didn’t necessarily find justified, especially since it wasn’t a job where we were saving lives. I wanted something more positive for my personal development, something that allowed me to express the creativity I felt deep within and needed to unleash. My current work enables me to be calm, to empty myself and bring out who I am from within. Expressing myself brings me joy and relaxation daily. I wouldn’t go back to a traditional job for anything in the world.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

After a challenging period in my personal life, I sought an escape to try and feel better. I happened to take evening ceramic classes, really just to have some time for myself and to clear my mind. That’s how I started exploring this medium, and it was a revelation for me because I quickly became captivated by clay. I needed to work with it every day because it allowed me to release and express what was deep inside me, almost like a form of meditation.

Eventually, I received positive feedback from people around me, and gradually, I started sharing my creations on social media. Encouraged by both my community and my family, I began showcasing more of my work. I don’t think I’m solving any specific problems; the only thing I can offer people, which also brings me joy, is to create everyday objects that, when looked at, bring a sense of peace. The goal is to create beautiful objects that help people feel comfortable in their homes because I believe it contributes to overall balance and well-being.

That’s truly what I aim to bring—a sense of joy and tranquility through pieces that resonate with people. That’s why the brand is called Umami, as Umami was discovered as the fifth flavor by the Japanese, representing a taste that evokes childhood memories and something delicious. It’s a nod because I believe there are flavors and objects that can be like Proust’s madeleines, triggering nostalgic memories. The idea is to create beloved everyday objects that we cherish and want to pass on. Essentially, it’s about creating a sustainable aesthetic, the opposite of a disposable society and the rapid turnover of our surroundings.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

Working with ceramics requires a great deal of resilience because ultimately, it’s the clay that dictates the outcome. We can shape it into forms and anticipate certain results, but if the processes aren’t followed correctly, or even sometimes when they are, it’s still the clay that determines how things will end up. It’s not uncommon for me to create the same piece multiple times and still get different results each time. I often encounter situations where I’ll fire vases, bring them to the final glazing stage, and then upon removal from the kiln, they crack or explode due to internal tensions in the clay.

There are no set rules in ceramics; it demands resilience and humility. Let me share a little story: when I first created the “lovers’ vase” and showed it to my husband, he found it beautiful, and I thought it was a piece to include in the timeless products on my website. However, reproducing it turned out to be quite challenging. The vase has two large forms connected by a delicate joint. It took me over a month and a half of trying to recreate it without it cracking or breaking.

So, I believe that’s what resilience is about—continuously striving and not giving up, especially in the face of unpredictability and challenges that ceramics often present.

Have you ever had to pivot?

That’s quite a personal yet amusing story. I wasn’t sure how to break the news to my family, especially to the more traditional members who valued careers in law, business, or medicine. They had certain expectations about pursuing higher education in those fields. Transitioning from law to ceramics was a big change, and I was apprehensive about how to announce it. Becoming a mother around the same time gave me the strength to envision this change. When it came time to reveal it, I found a humorous way to do so.

During my wedding ceremony at the town hall where we had to state our professions for the civil record, I took advantage of that moment. When the officiant announced my profession, it caught my family’s attention, and they realized I had made a significant career shift. Since it was my wedding day, everyone was in a celebratory mood, and no one wanted to dampen the mood. My friends, who were aware of my desire for this change, congratulated and applauded me. It was a fun and daring move to make on my wedding day, and it went over well with everyone present.

Contact Info:

• Website: umamiceramic.com
• Instagram: umami_ceramic

Image Credits
@cedou.cedou (for the seashell vase) @garancestudio (for the ginger lovers vases and ginger chain vase) @___laligne_ (for the portrait) @studio_alfa_ for the black and white lovers vases and fort the rest @mariecaroline.lcrt