Tasja P

If you think all of Copenhagen's ceramics have moved to the city centre and settled into tourist-facing shop windows, you'd be wrong. Head to Nørrebro. On Mimersgade 21 there's a studio worth riding a couple of stops from the packed centre for. No display windows here, no sales floor. You walk into a workshop that smells of raw clay, and along the walls, shelves hold cups, bowls, jugs and vases. In the back, Tasja herself is most likely at the wheel throwing another piece, and nothing stops you from walking up and starting a conversation. She'll wipe her hands on her apron and honestly tell you why she glazes her cups only on the inside.

Truth is, Tasja once graduated from the Bauhaus, earned her MFA degree, and worked as a graphic designer in Warsaw. Ceramics barged into her life about fifteen years ago and turned everything upside down. After moving to Copenhagen, she spent two and a half years working at Tortus Copenhagen, one of the most respected ceramic workshops in Denmark, founded by Eric Landon, a world-renowned master. She opened her own studio in December 2016.

Her credo is to express modern design through the ancient craft of pottery. Tasja loves simplicity with a twist and a touch of humour, the kind that keeps things from taking themselves too seriously. She wants clay to speak for itself, to hold onto its connection to nature, and for the finished pieces to be durable and timeless. In her studio you'll find ceramics with clean shapes and calm hues, functional and meant for everyday use: cups, bowls, jugs, teapots, vases and even lamps.

The neighbourhood of Nørrebro, where Tasja's studio has made its home, is worth the trip on its own. Right nearby sits the beautiful Assistens Cemetery, where Copenhageners often stroll and soak up the sun between the graves of Andersen and Kierkegaard. A little further along runs Jægersborggade, a street made up entirely of independent shops and tiny cafés. So a trip to buy handmade ceramics can easily turn into a walk through one of the city's cosiest neighbourhoods, far from the tourist crowds.

Studio opening hours: Tuesday to Friday from noon to five, Saturday from eleven to three. You can drop by without an appointment, calmly have a look around, and chat with Tasja. And maybe, just maybe, her cup will become your morning favourite, and her jug will be the star of your Sunday breakfasts. And you'll know exactly who made them, where, and how.