Lately, I’ve been in a creative rut. I loop between laptop, phone, laptop, TV show — repeat. So, I started looking for a new creative hobby, something tactile, something away from the screen. Then I stumbled across Loam. Tucked away in Moabit, Loam is Jana Marlene Lippert’s ceramics studio, a Berlin-born product designer, ceramicist, and teacher. The space is warm and unhurried. The shelves are lined with Jana’s own handmade ceramics — delicate porcelain pieces and her signature large coiled vases. Everyone works around a long wooden table where you can see Jana’s demonstrations as well as what everyone else is making. It’s a working studio, a ceramics store, and a learning space all at once. As an avid tea drinker, I went straight for the cups and mugs course. What drew me in wasn’t just the promise of making something beautiful, it was how Jana described working with raw material. “You think you are the master of the clay, but, in reality, the clay becomes your master.” That line stuck with me. Each person starts with a block of clay, and you realize how much room there is for interpretation: tall or short, wide or narrow, round or angular. Then comes the handle, its own creative decision.
Will it be looped, twisted, sculptural? Finally, the glaze, where color opens up a whole other conversation with the piece you’ve been building. Jana demonstrates first, then steps back and lets your creativity run. But she’s still there to support. If something cracks, she’ll help you fix it while making sure you know how to do it yourself next time. The crack gets repaired, and so does your confidence. At some point, I stopped noticing the clock. I found myself off my chair, crouching beside my station to make sure the handle was properly attached to the cup. The clay had become my master, and I didn’t mind one bit. Jana calls it a natural side effect of the material. Clay has its own pace, and the focus follows. When you finally look up, the room surprises you. Everyone started with the same block of clay, and yet, one person built a square mug with square handles, another crafted something round and deep like a fishbowl, and someone shaped their handles into bows. No two pieces came close to resembling each other. So, if you’ve been looking for something to pull you away from the screen and back into your body, this might be it. You can book a pottery class like this one, or if you get hooked, Jana also runs a six-week course for those who want to dig a little deeper.
Text: Stefania Basano / Photos: Mohit Amlani
Loam, Elberfelder Str.18, 10555 Berlin–Moabit; map
@loamberlin
