Best of Cleveland 2017: Handmade Ceramics

Asya Palatova’s studio may look like a museum — stark white walls and simple wood shelves frame her pastel porcelain tableware like pieces of art. But lucky for us, there’s no security guard waiting around the corner to tackle us if we get too close or even sneak in a little touch. Everything is all made by hand — to be handled. Her Gleena Ceramics line, made from the purest form of liquid clay, is glazed by hand for a crackle-free, smooth finish you can feel. The Russian-born potter works in small batches, moving each piece from dry racking to kiln for three weeks before smoothing out the edges with a sponge. So when using items such as the three-piece set of customized mixing bowls ($120) made from a plaster mold of a halved Guinean gourd or the 5-by-2-inch oblong petal bowls ($25) to dish out appetizers, you’ll appreciate their natural beauty. “It’s sculptural but functional,” says Palatova. “It’s the idea of using sculpture in your daily life.” 2114 S. Taylor Road, Cleveland Heights, 216-310-5718, gleena.com