skandihus
London
Our founder, Stine Dulong, quit her corporate lawyer job in 2013 to become a
full time potter. For her, clay was a gateway into transformation. Not only did
it become her career, and change the structure of her life on the surface, but
it fundamentally shifted who she is and how she perceives the world. She had
tried yoga and meditation, but it never “clicked” for her. Yet through pottery,
she found a way into a slower, more mindful and joyous way of existing. Having
experienced such a powerful transformation through working with clay, Stine
decided that she had to share this magical material with the world, so she
started offering classes at her studio. Little did she know that the demand
would be so great that SkandiHus now consists of three studios, a team of 26 and
more than 350 happy students every week. Bearing witness to the profound effects
working with clay has on almost everyone who walks through the studio doors, is
the greatest privilege of Stine’s life. When she isn’t busy teaching and running
the business, she makes tableware for the likes of Nigella Lawson, Anna Jones
and Tom Kerridge, and her work is in many high-end restaurants, including The
Connaught Hotel, The Hand & Flowers and Nobu. When Stine first touched clay in
an evening class in 2013, she felt like she had arrived home. Whilst she never
intended to become a full-time potter, she decided somewhere along the way to
trust the journey and continue to follow her heart no matter what. She is now a
firm believer that the world would be a better place if everyone did more of
what sets their soul on fire and that when we allow ourselves to follow our
dreams, we indirectly give people around us permission to do the same. She often
gives talks about following your passion and living a more present, slower and
fulfilling life. She has recently signed with Rachel Mills Literary and will be
writing a book about pottery and her journey. STINE’S WORK Stine’s work is
inspired by a love for Scandinavian design in which beauty is radiated through
light colours, the ample use of natural materials, minimalism and functionality.
Like many Scandinavian designers before her, Stine believes that quality design
should stylish and relevant to the modern human being by providing minimal
distraction and maximum aesthetic value. Stine both throws and hand-builds her
pieces, using a broad range of techniques to create her finished pieces. She
also uses a wide range of clays and materials, but most of her pieces are made
from reclaimed studio clay, as she is a firm advocate of minimising waste and
our impact on the world. She finds great joy in making something beautiful from
something once considered waste. When Stine is not busy making her own designs,
and running the business, she teaches classes and events as she feels that she
has been given this gift to share it with the world. She is slowly building the
clay revolution, one ball of mud at a time.
