First Pasta Bowl

This charming pasta bowl by New Zealand ceramic artist Luca reflects a joyful and highly detailed approach to handmade ceramics. Carefully thrown and shaped by hand, each bowl becomes a small canvas for Luca’s distinctive illustrated style — delicate, playful, and full of character.

Luca began working with clay during the Covid-19 lockdowns at just seventeen, discovering a passion for ceramics while experimenting in a small workshop set up in the corner of her family garage. What began as a creative outlet quickly grew into a focused artistic practice. Drawing inspiration from the intricate illustrations found in children’s picture books, Luca’s work combines sculpting, drawing, and painting to create ceramics that feel both nostalgic and quietly whimsical.

Working across the pottery wheel and hand-sculpting techniques, Luca shapes each piece before carefully illustrating and painting the surface by hand. Her love of fine detail is evident throughout — small, thoughtful marks that invite a closer look and reward the viewer with subtle moments of discovery.

Every bowl is individually handmade and painted, making each one slightly unique and a beautiful expression of emerging local craftsmanship.

Dimensions: 11.5 cm diameter × 4 cm height

Materials: Ceramic

Handmade in New Zealand