I am Tiina Kaljuste. A ceramic artist based in Estonia. In 1995 I graduated from the ceramics department of Estonian Academy of Arts. After almost 30 years of collaborations with clay, the material and its processes still enchant me. I do my part and the kiln with its heat completes the work. It is a privilege to use clay as a means of expression but also a great responsibility. With firing, the clay becomes (quite permanent) ceramics and this is an irreversible process. 

I use different hand-building techniques with clay but my favorite is the simplest and the oldest method - pinching. I use it more and more. I like my main tools - my hands. Mostly I make quite simple functional wares. But from time to time I get tired of them. Then figural works and less useful objects are born.

At the beginning of my career, I used only white stoneware clay and could not ask for more. Now, though still using stoneware clay I look for colors - blue, grey, yellowish, blackish brown, etc. Or the purest white - porcelain. Each material, with its smoothness, roughness, and other properties dictates what it wants to become.

Usually, my works are fired in my studios' electric kiln at a temperature of 1220 C. But sometimes I explore more rustic (or traditional) means like raku or wood firing kilns.

For years I`ve been collecting bricks for my very own wood-firing kiln. By now at least a start of a foundation is set.

Ever since the beginning of my career, I have mixed my own glazes. It has been an important and endearing chemical side of ceramics for me. In recent years the interest in experimenting with glazes has taken a step back though and given way to the growing use of underglaze colours and engobes. Drawings, characters, patterns demand their place on the surface of the works and for these the latter are irreplaceable. 

Tiina Kaljuste Kaasaegse Keraamika Stuudio (Tiina Kaljuste Contemporary Ceramics Studio) is located 33 kilometers from Tallinn city center in Illurma village. This is the location of my studio and a show room. The studio is open by appointment for everyone who is interested – just agree on a time with me before coming. (contact info can be found here). E-shop on the other hand is always open. The selection is smaller than in the studio, but go and have a peek!


Tiina Kaljuste

CV

BORN ON 18.11.1969 IN TALLINN, ESTONIA


1991-1995       ESTONIAN ACADEMY OF ARTS

MEMBER OF THE ESTONIAN CERAMISTS ASSOCIATION SINCE 1998

MEMBER OF THE ESTONIAN ARTISTS ASSOCIATION SINCE 2009


  SYMPOSIUMs AND WORKSHOPS

1997               SYMPOSIUM FOR BALTIC AND SCANDINAVIAN COUNTRIES IN ZVARTAVA, LATVIA

2003              INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP “GLAZE STORM” IN TALLINN, ESTONIA

2005              INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP “SAVI TULESSE” IN KIHNIO, FINLAND

2007              INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP “DRAGON IN NORTHERN MYTHOLOGY” IN KURESSAARE,                                              ESTONIA

2013               INGRID ALLIK´S NAKED RAKU MASTERCLASS, PALDISKI, ESTONIA

2018               INTERNATIONAL CERAMIC SYMPOSIUM CLAYMEAL II, ABGUNSTE, LATVIA

2018               INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON SMALL-FORM CERAMICS NAVIGATION X, VENTSPILS,                                               LATVIA

2019               KOHILA SYMPOSIUM,  ESTONIA

2022               INTERNATIONAL CERAMIC SYMPOSIUM  “BIRD OF PARADISE“ , LOPOTA, GEORGIA                                      


 PERSONAL EXHIBITIONS

1999              “GARDENIA”, PORVOO ART HALL, FINLAND

2003             “OLD PHOTOGRAPHS” SEVERAL EXHIBITION HALLS IN ESTONIA (PAIDE, LIHULA ETC)

2015 – 2016  “47 PROFILES” LIBRARY OF HARJU COUNTY, KEILA, ESTONIA; THE KONDAS CENTRE                                          OF NAIVE ART, VILJANDI, ESTONIA ;VANA-VÕROMAA GALLERY, VÕRU, ESTONIA

2018             “SINGULAR AND PLURAL” LIBRARY OF HARJU COUNTY, KEILA, ESTONIA

2018             “BALANCE EXERCISE” TARTU, ESTONIA

2019             “PEOPLE YOU MAY KNOW ” KUNSTIAKEN GALLERY, TALLINN, ESTONIA
2020            “PEOPLE YOU MAY KNOW 2” KUNSTIAKEN GALLERY, TALLINN, ESTONIA  
2021             "SEVEN MEETINGS AND OTHER ETUDES" R-GALERY, TARTU, ESTONIA
2022             "BRUSHES AND BRUSHINGS"  R-GALERY, TARTU, ESTONIA 
2022             " WHITE BOX"  WHITE STUDIO GALERY , TBILISI, GEORGIA (the exhibition was related to the                                         celebration of the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Estonia and Georgia)

  NOMINATIONS

 2015              Jury's Mention on the 14th Biennial of Ceramics Andenne, Belgium

 I HAVE PARTICIPATED IN GROUP EXHIBITIONS IN ESTONIA AND ABROAD SINCE 1993.