Ömer Öner Ceramics creates handmade porcelain homeware and gift objects that celebrate craftsmanship, originality, and thoughtful design. Each piece is individually made, offering distinctive, that add character and joy to everyday living.
“My work transforms discarded everyday objects into distinctive porcelain homeware, giving overlooked forms a new life. Every piece is individually assembled and finished by hand, offering customers an original, sustainable alternative to mass-produced gifts.”
What is your favourite aspect of running your own creative business?
The most rewarding part is having complete control over the entire process, from making to presenting the work. I can develop ideas slowly, respond to materials directly, and decide how each piece exists in the world. That freedom allows my work to stay very personal and experimental.
What challenges do you face working for yourself?
The biggest challenge is balance. You have to be maker, photographer, communicator, administrator, and sometimes salesperson all at once.
It can be difficult to protect studio time while also managing the business side, especially when deadlines, exhibitions, and production overlap.
What does your typical day look like?
No two days are exactly the same. Most days start in the studio with casting, assembling, or refining pieces in progress. There are also periods of cleaning moulds, preparing slip, or testing surfaces. Alongside making, I often spend time photographing work, answering emails, preparing for exhibitions and fairs, or working as a technician at City Lit College.
Can you briefly describe your journey since leaving UAL and setting up your business?
After graduating from UAL, I gradually built my practice around slip-casting and found objects. I started by producing small experimental pieces, then slowly moved into more defined bodies of work and exhibitions. Over time, participation in shows, galleries, and design events helped establish my practice more firmly as a ceramic designer-maker working between sculpture and functional object.
Where would you like to take your design career?
I want to continue expanding the language of my work, particularly through larger installations and more architectural or spatial pieces. I’m interested in pushing the boundary between functional object and sculptural form, and developing collections that feel like small domestic worlds rather than individual objects.
What advice would you offer students or recent graduates wanting to start their own business?
Start small and stay consistent. Focus on developing a clear visual language rather than trying to do everything at once.
