Clay, Colour & Care: A Conversation with Sinem Celik of BluCeramics

Sinem Celik didn’t set out to become a ceramicist. A trained chemical engineer, she spent over a decade in the corporate fashion world before taking a quiet step back, one that led her toward clay, and eventually to founding BluCeramics in 2016.

It started, as these things often do, with a cup. One she noticed in a café, handmade and unlike anything she’d seen before. That single moment sparked a journey that’s still unfolding. Today, she creates simple, functional ceramics; cups, bowls, platters and vases—all made slowly by hand in her home studio just outside Istanbul.

Sinem’s pieces carry a thoughtful tension: raw clay paired with bold glazes, earthy textures softened by sharp stripes. Her work reflects her influences; nature, Scandinavian design, and a love of things that are quietly imperfect. There’s a sense of care and calm in each form, and just as much in the way she speaks about making them.

We caught up with her to talk about the beauty of slowing down, why raw clay reminds her of denim, and how ceramics helped her find her way back to herself.

Hi Sinem, can you tell us about yourself?

Hi with pleasure!

I was born in 1979 in Adana, sunny south part of Turkey, and studied Chemical Engineering in Ankara. I moved to Istanbul where my professional journey started, after 16 years in the corporate fashion world, I decided to realign my experience with purpose and my own values. I founded BluProjects, a platform dedicated to create meaningful change and collaboration. Alongside consulting and academic role at Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University and the Amsterdam Fashion Institute, I also shape a more personal journey through BluCeramics — a quiet tribute to nature, simplicity, and timeless beauty.
In my home – office - studio, I work with raw clay, honouring imperfection and slow creation, believing that every piece carries a story, a memory, a reflection of the hands that shaped it. Together with my 15-year-old daughter Derin, I continue to build a life rooted in nature, creativity and wonder.

You founded BluCeramics in 2016 to document your ceramic journey. What initially drew you to ceramics as a medium?

It’s truly a love-at-first-sight story!
One day, while having coffee at a café, I found myself drawn to a handmade ceramic cup. Ceramics had never really caught my interest before, but that moment brought it into my life. Soon after, I signed up for a ceramics class at a local studio.
Over many long months spent in the studio, as I touched the clay and discovered the magic of shaping it, my own life also began to transform and take shape. Clay taught me lessons in slowing down, savouring the process rather than rushing toward an outcome, and embracing patience and craftsmanship. BluCeramics was born from a simple desire to share my experiments and stories along the way. Instagram became a wonderful space for this — not just to showcase my work, but to connect with so many new friends who joined my ceramics journey.

After some time, I realised ceramics wasn’t just a fleeting passion; it had become a lasting part of my life. I turned a corner of my home into a dedicated studio, giving myself the space — and the endless nights — to keep experimenting, learning, and creating at my own rhythm.

You’ve described ceramics as full of life lessons. What’s one that’s stayed with you the most throughout your practice?

The process of working with ceramics demands incredible dedication. Once you create something with your own hands, you start to see life through a completely different lens.
For me, this journey taught the art of slowing down, of simplifying — and soon enough, it brought much bigger life lessons and transformations.
I began to question everything I was doing in my corporate career, and it eventually led me to choose a more purpose-driven path, one that aligned more deeply with my own values.
The greatest lesson and gift ceramics gave me was this: it brought me closer to myself — and it showed me how to live a life that feels true to who I really am.

Growing up what were the things you rebelled against?

I think I was always a naturalist at heart — it runs deep in my family roots. I grew up in a home where most of what we needed was handmade by my mother, at a time when the system started to dominate and push for mass production and consumption. That early experience made me quietly rebel against capitalist ideals and the culture of excess. I found myself drawn instead to simplicity, authenticity, and creating with care, values that still shape who I am today.

You like to keep the clay as raw as possible—what is it about that rawness that feels important to you?

I’d answer this with a comparison. What I love most about working with clay reminds me a lot of denim — the beautiful interplay between cotton and indigo dye is very much like the relationship between clay and glaze. Instead of controlling the outcome, I’m inspired by the natural dance between the two. Watching how clay and glaze meet; sometimes merging, sometimes resisting, feels like witnessing a living process. As a chemical engineer, I’m endlessly fascinated by this experimental, unpredictable transformation. Every piece amazes me in a different way, and that rawness, that authenticity, is what I try to honour.

There’s a wonderful tension in your work between the organic and the modern. How do you find balance between natural forms and structured elements like stripes or bold colours?

I'm so glad you noticed that tension and asked about it! BluCeramics is truly my creative playground, a space where I let my instincts and curiosity take the lead. While I love keeping the clay as raw and honest as possible, I also enjoy leaving my own signature through the way I play with glaze. Glaze, being essentially powdered glass, feels like an open invitation to experiment and research — a perfect match for my creative spirit. Stripes are a personal favourite; they come from my deep love for fashion and add a touch of structure to the organic forms. Bold colours, especially the shades of blue I often use, carry a special meaning for me — blue is not just a colour, it’s a resting place. A calm moment where you can pause, breathe, and reflect even if just for the length of a cup of coffee.

What does your typical day in the studio look like, if there is such a thing?

My studio is my meditative temple. :) I live near a forest in Istanbul, a perfect place to create in stillness. The creative process in ceramics requires long, patient steps; I mostly use hand-building techniques. Once formed, the delicate pieces are carefully smoothed by hand before undergoing their first firing at around 1000–1300°C. After this "bisque" stage, I apply glaze — glass powders brushed entirely by hand to keep the spirit of craftsmanship alive — and the pieces are fired once again. Sometimes a cup of coffee, sometimes a glass of wine keeps me company as I shape the clay and always, a bit of music from my playlist. (I’m happy to share one if you’d like!)
Ceramics is a journey of patience, precision, and love. Sometimes, despite weeks of work, the kiln surprises you with broken pieces a humbling reminder of the beauty of letting go.
Because of this labor of love, I care deeply about where my creations find their homes. Seeing someone enjoy a quiet coffee from a BluCeramics cup makes every step of the journey worthwhile.

Each of your pieces is designed to carry joy to its owner. What role does storytelling or emotional connection play in your design process?

This is truly the heart of the whole journey for me. Hand making is an incredibly personal act — it feels like each piece holds traces of your inner world. That’s why I often say my work is made by heart. Every piece carries not just clay and glaze, but real emotions as its true ingredients.
Because of this, I care deeply about who will use each piece. It’s never just about selling an object; it’s about sharing a story, building a quiet, lasting connection between the maker and the new owner

You mention being influenced by Scandinavian design. What aspects of it speak to you most?

Celebrating imperfection and simplicity are two key inspirations I’ve drawn from my close connection with Scandinavian culture. In a world that constantly pushes us to do more, achieve more, and have more, the quiet reminder that ‘less is more’ feels incredibly valuable. I love this quote ; ‘’Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.’’

Are there specific places, memories, or rituals that consistently inspire your work?

I travel a lot, and I truly love it. :) Wherever I go, I always seek out local makers, explore different techniques, and discover natural clay types unique to each place. Recently, I traveled to Marrakesh, the patterns and colour palettes there were a huge source of inspiration for me. I'm now creating new forms influenced by the spirit and vibrancy of that experienceBut beyond urban influences, it’s nature that inspires me the most. Especially the organic forms, textures, and layers: they never stop amazing me.

Has your relationship with clay changed since 2016?

Absolutely — it’s constantly evolving, just like I am. :)
In the first couple of years, I was mostly in a discovery phase, experimenting a lot and making endless trials. The pandemic became a kind of unexpected pause for all of us, and it gave me the time and space to work with clay every single day, which helped me improve my techniques deeply.
Over the past four years, my creations become slower, more intentional, and stronger — carrying a sense of quiet confidence that I didn’t have in the early days.

Can you tell about the pieces which are part of our pop-up?

This collaboration is truly special to me! BLA has been one of my love-brands for a long time, a brand whose mindset I deeply admire and find inspiring. It feels incredibly meaningful to have my pieces placed alongside such valuable, handmade designs.
While creating for this pop-up, my passion was to honour the handmade spirit that both our brands share. Blue was a natural connection between us - a shared love for indigo, but I also wanted to introduce bold, natural red tones, as a tribute to beautiful sunsets and slow, meaningful moments.
While textile creation demands precision and perfection in design, ceramics brings a kind of organic contrast; a softer, imperfect balance. I love how the two crafts meet and complement each other in this collaboration

What’s next for BluCeramics? Are there new directions or materials you’re curious to explore?

My next passion is exploring upcycling techniques in ceramics. Over the years, I’ve collected many broken and leftover pieces, and now, drawing from my professional expertise in circular design, I'm transforming those fragments into new creations. I'm currently developing interior design objects, working alongside a group of students to experiment, push the limits, and reimagine what discarded materials can become. It's an exciting new chapter for BluCeramics — blending sustainability, creativity, and innovation. I am planning to celebrate my 10th year, in 2026, with this project.

The full BluCeramics collection is now available in-store and online, with all proceeds going to War Child, a charity close to our hearts, supporting children affected by conflict.