Craft Stories: Maria Jovanovich
- Шарена Фабрика
- Mar 28
- 5 min read
The faces of future students, the hands – keepers of the craft, the people – inspirers. A column that introduces you to the future teachers of the craft school, part of the Sharena Fabrika.
Maria Jovanovich, ©Sharena Fabrika
The series 'Craft Stories' opens the doors to ateliers, workshops, and creative spaces, or in other words, the workplaces of those who have chosen to dedicate themselves to craft and art, and who do not call it work, but life. For some of them, we add 'ours,' because these will be the people who will enter the Sharena Fabrika as teachers, passing on their knowledge to the next generation.
The next person we are talking about is one of the prominent faces in contemporary Bulgarian ceramics. Most of us recognize her by the distinctive style and character of her work, and we know that where the fine lines of graphic art meet porcelain, Maria Jovanovich is involved.
She studied graphic design at the National School of Fine Arts and later graduated in 'Ceramics' from the National Academy of Art. A little over a year after the International School Gastronomy & Heritage Crafts opened its doors, she will be among the leading teachers at the craft school, sharing not only her knowledge and experience of the craft but also life lessons, inspiration, the dynamics of the creative process, and her love for art.
Today, both man and nature are her sources of inspiration. But why and what drives her hands over the porcelain, she reveals in the following lines.
Maria Jovanovich, ©Sharena Fabrika
In a previous interview, you mentioned that nature and people are your themes. What about human nature has amazed you the most?
The endless possibilities... even the weaknesses. But most of all, the strength with which we can love and at the same time fall into extremes. For me, a person is the most colorful universe that we will explore until the end of the world.
Do you believe that a person can change, and what lies behind these processes?
I believe that there is a universal balance that dictates all these changes... and I think that every change has its exact place, time, and meaning. Some things change, others adjust or disappear... A person changes, nature changes too. The world changes. Participating in the surrounding world in a healthy, conscious, and loving way is the most natural thing we can do. Even those who live and perceive with different impulses... in my opinion, they are still part of this universal balance. I try to believe in a positive direction that they too have their place. But at the same time, I won’t remain voiceless when I feel the need to speak out. I believe that good things are contagious, and people who inspire are treasures.
How did you turn towards graphic?
I’ve been drawing since I was very young, since always, haha... I started taking lessons in 5th grade, and my teacher back then is now a professor at the Academy. He taught me to recognize materials and substances. He taught me how to depict them on paper with pencils. He taught me that with hard work and dedication, you can achieve anything. He instilled precision in me and sparked the desire to want more and to get better. Later, he also introduced me to the world of printmaking. And maybe that left an even stronger mark.
Why graphics?
It’s a world where things aren’t just black and white, as many people would define graphics. Behind all this specificity and contrast lie thousands of colors, emotions, a lot of depth, a lot of vibration, and 'human density.' For me, graphics is depth on an intellectual level, as pretentious as it may sound – it has rich possibilities for techniques and expression.
And ceramics?
After I met clay, a spark of love ignited. A love from which you can’t detach or leave. There’s some magic here, I’m sure of it. Clay is us, and we are clay... this consumed me. A love for everything, covered in mud – created with that same love. I perceive this as an infinity that absorbed me.
The rest is a process... a lot of dedication, a lot of work, great faith, quite a bit of madness, a lot of tears, a lot of sweat, and an awful lot of attempts.
Read more: The history of pottery and ceramics
What remains hidden from people about the world of ceramics and creating a product?
Few people who are not part of this world understand it. Most are unaware of the time that clay requires to happen. All the stages that are indispensable. I won’t stop explaining, to whoever needs it, that it doesn’t happen in a day. That’s part of the process. We’re constantly learning patience. And not only that – dedication, love, and attention... clay is reciprocity.
The world of ceramics can be very thorny, painful, very difficult, and financially heavy at times. The journey of a product is long, sometimes even eternal, impossible... But that too is part of the process. I don’t like to talk about the difficulties and the thousands of tears... I share them with colleagues and masters. Together, we look for a path and a solution. Which is also a very valuable shared experience.
Few people know how much this world gives. Here, I’ll find it hard to find words. I receive so much love... I feel that this is the thing that sometimes keeps me from falling. It feeds or heals me... I’ve always said it, and I’ll write it here too... 'This is not a profession, it’s a diagnosis.' No matter how hard it is, your heart doesn’t let you let it go.
Maria Jovanovich, ©Sharena Fabrika
What is common in the creative processes of drawing and working with ceramics?
Both drawing and ceramics are part of the same process. The expression of the artist, their emotional palette, and communication with the world through creating a work of art... regardless of the materials and techniques used. We can view them in directions within the art world, where they can exist separately and be individually and artistically sustained without having a point of contact. In fine and applied arts. But as a person, part of this world, they are a symbiosis, and I don’t separate them. Ceramics, as a very important part of human life, strongly expresses this symbiosis.
Maria Jovanovich, ©Sharena Fabrika
How do you see yourself as a teacher in the future International School for Gastronomy & Heritage Crafts?
I only know that I will be sincere. I try not to have expectations. I don’t visualize what I will be. I believe that as long as there is a flame in me, I will have something to give. That’s the main meaning. I live with a sense of gratitude in the present and am excited about the idea of the project. I believe everything will happen in the best way, including my involvement there.
What are the most valuable pieces of advice you've received from your teachers?
To draw with my heart and have faith in my hand...
To breathe...
“90% observation, 10% work”… but I understood this after I turned 25.
How to eat tripe, how to drink alcohol. How to make love... literally and figuratively.
Are these your means of expression through which you send your messages as an artist?
Definitely – graphics placed on ceramics excite me the most at the moment. But I don’t plan to lock this in… there’s a way forward – let’s see!