Tableware for generations to enjoy
SINCE 1980
This is a story of unhurried processes, timeless design, and sturdy functionality.
This is a love for the land and its offerings, as well as the hands that mould them.
This is an ode to duty and bringing people together, whether at the table or in the workshop.
This is the story of VAIDAVA CERAMICS.
“For more than 40 years we have created beautiful and functional tableware for generations to enjoy.”
Miks Balodis, creative leader of VAIDAVA CERAMICS, recalls spending childhood summers with his two brothers, watching their father hard at work. As the boys grew older and got involved with the business, the weight of responsibility became tangible. Miks says he felt the duty to continue and further expand on what his father had started.
His father, Jānis Balodis, established the business in the 1980s. Tucked into the quiet Latvian countryside, the Vaidava workshop is found in a remote corner of the Gauja National Park.
“The designs back then were different - products of their time and atmosphere.”
In the 80s USSR Latvia, Miks’ father employed several artisans who spent day after day building intricate creations at the wheel. Often very detailed, Miks says their function was closer to art than to practical dishes. Yet, the creations have always had their signature tactility and sturdiness; bold shapes and earthiness.
After shedding the intricate details seen on earlier Vaidava pieces, Miks opted instead for a timeless design that could allow the materials and functionality to shine through, unobstructed.
Since the beginning, VAIDAVA CERAMICS tableware have been made from red clay, locally sourced from the Liepa clay quarry nearby. Active Devonian age clay quarries nowadays can be found only in three places worldwide and Liepa quarry is one of them. Over the years, the people of Vaidava have found Devonian-period fish fossils in the material. “We can be very proud working with the oldest clay in the world,” says Miks.
Vaidava’s location at the Gauja National Park means there is a significant duty to uphold toward the land their business comes from. The preserve spans 90,000 hectares and is home to historical treasures from various eras. According to Miks, it’s a place everyone should visit at least once.
The slow and unhurried approach to their craft is the result of centuries of accumulated knowledge. The clay produces little waste and isn’t mixed with artificial enhancements. Simple techniques that have stood the test of time make the work at VAIDAVA CERAMICS harmless to the land, much as the potters before them.
“That’s one thing my father always emphasized, that we use local red clay.” Miks recalls.
The intense red coloring is a result of iron oxide in the clay. Red clay has always been a best within all ceramic materials for keeping food temperature for much longer in the dish. All products fired at temperature 1000°C make Vaidava’s dishes highly durable and resistant to heat, as well as dishwasher and microwave safe.
Every member of the VAIDAVA CERAMICS family has touched each creation at least once. Each piece is formed, polished, checked, glazed, and checked again. Each dish is a vessel to connect those who made it with those who use it.
Considered and unhurried is a way of life at Vaidava. Messing up and making a mistake means starting from scratch - all you lose is time. The signs of time and hard work are left in the cracked skin of capable hands. The craftsmen use a potter’s wheel and a process called manual jiggering to give the products their distinctive design and clean lines.
After being moulded to satisfaction by chief moulder Inārs, the products airdry for about a week. The clay is left to do what it knows best.
Vaidava’s tableware are made for every occasion. The simple designs are made to bring people together and emphasise the importance of their content. With function at the forefront, the tableware is a vessel to carry the life that happens in and around it. While highly durable, the marks of time left in earthenware dishes are similar to the cracked skin on the hands that made them - each mark and dent accumulated is a sign of good use and companionship.
Miks has worked hard to retain the sturdiness of Vaidava’s creations, a value that VAIDAVA CERAMICS still boasts today. Local Latvian designers are invited to collaborate with the on-staff specialists at Vaidava.
Still a close-knit family business, the people of VAIDAVA CERAMICS are at the heart of the operation. Many children have come into the world and grown up, as ancient pottery traditions continue to exchange hands across generations.
This includes Miks’ own son. “He’s growing up in the environment, so let’s see - maybe he will want to join the business too one day.”
The core team is currently comprised of about 12 locals from a region in the northern part of Latvia. Lifelong friends and collaborators in creation and craft, the togetherness of its people forms another integral pillar of VAIDAVA CERAMICS.
The reach of VAIDAVA CERAMICS spans wider than the walls of its workshop. Collaborations with designers, such as Laima Grigone and Arthur Analts, ensure a steady flow and exchange of fresh outlook on what Latvian red clay is capable of.
Another such beacon in the VAIDAVA CERAMICS community is Katrīna Mame, a friend and prominent food and lifestyle blogger. According to Katrīna, bread is sacred to us Latvians.
“Homemade bread always fills the home with warmth - both literally and emotionally. When the freshly baked bread is placed on a VAIDAVA CERAMICS plate, there is a sense that the bread and the clay are alike. Both have come to the table from the ground.”
Katrīna has been using her VAIDAVA CERAMICS dishes well. She says, “The dishes are not only visually striking, but more importantly - true and honest. That’s what makes them my family’s most beloved dishes. Small cracks or signs of wear that appear after wholehearted use give the dishes character and make each plate and bowl unique. They tell tales of time well spent and the history of their owners. After all, it is important to age with grace.”
Since
took over the reins of
six uniquely bold collections have been created.
The collection ‘earth’ has been perfected over a decade of work and is a staple for all occasions. The smooth texture and grounded appearance make it a classic choice.
Bowl / 0,2l / 125x45mm
Grey 608
Moss green 694
Bowl / 0,6l / 165x60mm
White 150
Grey 609
Moss green 695
Bowl / 2l curved / 240x90mm
White 570
Grey 612
Moss green 698
Bowl / 3l / 300x100mm
White 515
Grey 613
Moss green 699
Small plate set / 130x15mm
White 670
Medium plate / 220x25mm
White 544
Mug / 75x105mm
Bowl / 1l / 190x70mm
White 152
Grey 610
Moss green 696
Snack bowl set with tray
White 626
Grey 628
Moss green 700
Big plate / 265x20mm
White 542
Bowl / 2l / 235x85mm
White 153
Grey 611
Moss green 697
Centerpiece bowl / 390x60mm
White 646
Dip bowl set / 79x44mm
White 661
Moss green
Bowl / 0,2l / 125x45mm Raw
Bowl / 2l curved / 240x90mm Raw 606
Mug / 75x105mm
Bowl / 0,6l / 165x60mm
Bowl / 3l / 300x100mm Raw 607
Bowl / 1l / 190x70mm Raw
Medium plate / 220x25mm Raw 617
Bowl / 2l / 235x85mm Raw
Big plate / 265x20mm Raw 616
Bowl / 0,2l / 125x45mm Rock
Small plate set x 2 / 130x15mm
Mug / 75x105mm Rock
Bowl / 0,6l / 165x60mm Rock 720
Medium plate / 220x25mm Rock
Bowl / 1l / 190x70mm
Big plate / 265x20mm
Bowl / 2l / 235x85mm
Dip bowl set / 79x44mm Rock
The ‘earth raw’ collection was born out of an accident - serving as proof that a defect is just genius waiting to happen. The rougher outer coating is a treat for the tactile senses.
The ‘earth rock’ collection is the first step out of traditionally used material red clay. Crafted from stoneware, collection provides higher durability performance, especially for professional use.
The ‘eclipse’ collection, made in collaboration with Laima Grigone, harmoniously fuses the ancient technique of Terra Sigillata and clean, balanced, minimalist design with Nordic nature’s rugged yet delicate beauty for a timeless and contemporary aesthetic.
270x160mm
220x20mm
bowl / 380x100mm
290x25mm
plate set / 115x20mm
340x35mm
160x22mm
Laima Grigone is a ceramic artist from Latvia. Notions of stewardship, sustainability, and social empowerment form the underlying ethos behind Laima’s practice and she is a strong advocate for the power of the handmade. Concerned with ‘pleasure in use’ and the tactile qualities of ceramics she is looking for timeless beauty to enhance the everyday experience.
The ‘moss’ collection, a series of earthy plant pots in four different sizes, offers a connection with nature that plays in sunlight. The clay pots ensure proper aeration and the soil dries completely between waterings.
The ‘soil’ collection, designed by Arthur Analts, offers designer plant pots in five sizes. As a symbol for the source from which all else has sprung, this collection emphasizes the rough and raw nature of earthenware.
