MAGDALENA SZMYDTKE
Magdalena Szmydtke is a Gdynia-based ceramicist and designer creating one-of-a-kind objects at the intersection of contemporary craft, sculpture and functional art. Inspired by the Baltic Sea, its shifting light, organic forms, dunes and waves, her hand-formed ceramic works translate nature into tactile, sculptural design. Before founding her own studio in Gdynia, her path moved through molecular biology and an international corporate career, giving her practice a rare balance of sensitivity, precision and reinvention.
1. What is the one thing you never leave the house without?
I'm famously bad at remembering what to take with me! :D My daily life is pretty chaotic, and I’m always turning around to go back for something I forgot. Honestly, the only sure thing is my clothes—I haven't left the house completely naked yet!
2. Which piece in your wardrobe has stayed with you through every version of yourself?
It's got to be my really old, beat-up pair of Converse. They've been with me since my university days, through various trips and quite a few music festivals. Now, I wear them to work in my studio.
3. What is your personal style code?
I've never really overthought my style, but my instinct always leans towards comfort. My ultimate formula is pairing simple classics with some cool vintage. I also used to live in India and the Middle East, so I love incorporating oriental accents into my outfits.
4. What do you value most in your relationships with people?
Oh, this is a hard question, but I know the answer perfectly well because my 39 years of life have given me plenty of lessons to learn from. The thing I value most in any relationship is being able to be honest. To tell the truth, to clash, and even to argue sometimes. There’s nothing worse than faking it or hiding your emotions inside. For me, honesty counts the most because it builds the comfort and freedom of simply being together.
5. What is your ritual for feeling well, grounded, and truly yourself?
With a constantly full house and a busy schedule, I truly treasure my moments of solitude. I typically wake up at 6 AM, before my children. I let the dog out into the garden and make my coffee. In the evenings, if I manage not to fall asleep while putting the kids to bed, I light some incense, pour a cup of herbal tea or a glass of wine, and just talk with my husband. Those are my rituals for entering and exiting the day.
6. What is one thing in fashion, culture, or life — that you have truly enjoyed lately?
Do I really have to pick just one? Gosh, that's hard because I'm into so many things right now. But if I have to narrow it down, it would be my work. I've been working with ceramics for three years, and I am completely obsessed with glazing. Lately, I've been mixing glazes to mimic the way light reflects off the surface of water after dusk. I blend various shades of black, navy, metallic silvers, and golds, and then I have to wait 24 hours to see the results of the firing. I always rush into my studio like a madwoman and open the kiln like I'm a five-year-old and Santa Claus is waiting inside.
