What began as a pottery course, taken when her youngest daughter started high school, slowly unfolded into a full-fledged artistic practice shaped by rhythm, nature, and intuition. From the very first touch, Clarine van der Meeren felt the pull of clay. What followed was a lasting fascination with the alchemical dance of earth, water, air, and fire, and a deep respect for the quiet, spiraling pace of natural growth.

Living near the river Maas, Clarine finds her inspiration quite literally close to home. She digs clay from her own garden, purifies it by hand, and patiently builds large sculptural pieces layer by layer in rhythmic spirals. Whether throwing on the wheel or working with coils and slabs, each piece takes shape in slow motion: a pinch here, a smooth swipe there. Then wait, rest, return. Her process mirrors the growth of the plants and trees that inspire her: no rush, just steady transformation.

Her work is a study in balance. Softness and strength. Simplicity and detail. Movement and stillness. The kind of beauty that doesn’t shout, but stays.
As she puts it: “It’s just clay. Until it isn’t.”