About Us
Our studio
Kleistone Studio is run by a small women team. We have created a space that welcomes everyone. We are outspoken about the importance of crafts in our society and love sharing that passion with all our students.
Kleistone Studio is a hand-building studio: we focus on teaching traditional techniques that teach us to be patient and let go of expectations. Our teachers have years of experience in their craft and our classes are designed in specific way to ensure you get the most out of them.
the team
Co-Founder & Teacher
Elisabetta Lombardo
Elisabetta discovered clay while looking for a way to destress from her work in technology. After leaving the tech industry, she now makes functional ceramics using hand-building techniques.
She loves combining planetary science and ceramic art, bringing scientific discoveries together with creative expressions in clay. Her work is an ode to the inspiration our species has felt for centuries while observing the landscapes, discovering materials and watching minerals turn to glass. She also writes a newsletter about the history of ceramics.
She loves teaching and accompanying students in their discovery of clay. She believes that creativity can be taught and that what matters is the process.
You will find her ceramic art and writing on her website.
co-founder & teacher
Kate smallshaw
Kate (PINCH & COIL) started working with clay in 2018 as an additional medium to painting, drawing and other artistic processes, which have been a constant passion throughout her life.
Whether creating one-off decorative work or small-run collections, the intention is always the same: to work with a minimal range of tools and ceramic materials to tell a story. Her work finds a balance between precision and imperfection, the mark of the maker should remain and be celebrated - as is highlighted in all the classes she teaches.
Kate loves teaching the foundation of hand building techniques to total beginners and beyond - sharing techniques and ideas for a well informed ceramics practise and to offer up as many additional tips to level up student’s work as possible.
Freelance teacher & full time member
natascha bohnert
Natascha (MUD NAT) uses the medium of ceramics – often in combination with other materials – to explore questions of ambivalence, identity, and doubt.
Her works are primarily created using hand-building techniques with stoneware and porcelain. She produces vessels – both functional and purely sculptural – alongside sculptures and reliefs. Traditional craftsmanship methods like slab-building and coiling are integrated with sculptural techniques, challenging a classical localization within purely academic art as well as traditional craft. She develops and creates her own glazes while incorporating additional materials of both natural and synthetic origins including resin, liquid rubber, stone, wax, silk and animal or human hair.
Natasha's approach to teaching is to treat each taster class like a first glimpse into a new world/hobby that can be pursued further, so she always tries to make sure to give as much information on processes, techniques and possibilities for tools etc. She loves explaining why she does things the way she does them while also encouraging students to explore how they can adapt techniques to their own liking and style.