Behind the clay
The hands, heart, and soul behind AMAEN Ceramics — that’s me, Ari.
I’m a self-taught ceramicist with a deep love for creating things that feel soulful, tactile, and intentionally made. I work with clay to feel what’s real: the weight, the warmth, the quiet truth of imperfection. Each piece I make is a moment of grounding, a small return to the body, to breath, to stillness.
My work is rooted in Zurich, but it carries traces of the places and people that shaped me the delicate precision of my Swiss side, the warmth and texture of my Thai-chinese roots, and the quiet observation I’ve always found in human behavior. With a background in psychology, I see parallels between clay and the mind: both respond to pressure, both need patience, both soften with care.
Many ways lead to Rome - how did mine lead to clay?
- A Journey Through Hospitality, Healing, and Craft
My background is in hospitality and gastronomy with years spent in places where people come together to eat, connect, and celebrate. I'm a traveler, a food lover, and a strong believer in the power of shared moments. Over time, my career evolved from hospitality management into the corporate world, and today, I’m also on the path to becoming a licensed psychotherapist.
Across these different chapters, one theme has stayed constant: a fascination with the human experience, and how we can create grounding, presence, and beauty in our daily lives.
Outside the studio, you’ll find me paddle-boarding across Lake Zurich, training in Muay Thai, sipping iced Matcha, or enjoying long meals with friends. All these passions shape AMAEN Ceramics.. a brand inspired by slow living, soulful design, and a deep respect for the tactile beauty of handmade things.
Ceramics as a meditative practise
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Meditative
For me, ceramics is a form of mindfulness & a way to slow down and reconnect with the present. As an intuitive potter, I don’t follow strict rules; I follow feeling.
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Intuitive
I work in small batches, crafting each piece by hand in my Zurich studio using sustainable materials and organic forms inspired by nature.
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Flow
Some days I’m hand-building sculptures on others I’m throwing, imperfect pieces that look like they’ve been shaped by the wind or the sea.
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Mindful
Every object carries the energy of its creation - meditative, physical, calming and is made to be used, loved, and lived with.
Rooted in Slow Living and Soulful Design
Amaen began as a personal ritual, a way to slow down, to listen, and to shape presence with my hands. Over time, it became a practice in wabi-sabi: finding peace in imperfection, rhythm in repetition, and beauty in what’s naturally uneven.
Amaen is an invitation to pause.
To find grounding in what is real.
To embrace the beauty of things just as they are.
Ari
Founder of AMAEN Ceramics