Women in Art 278 Magazine November 2013 | Page 34

spanish artist maia ming fong ceramics etsy website facebook twitter Maia Ming Fong was born in Honolulu, Hawaii and currently lives and works in Barcelona. She studied at Stanford University, where she received her degree in Product Design Engineering. She worked for many years as an art director and design consultant of consumer fashion products ranging from Swatch watches to Giro cycling helmets. Her designs have won multiple awards and been published internationally. With growing demand for her ceramic work, Maia began reproducing her designs in small series. Modern classics, with a tactile and whimsical flair, Maia Ming Designs offers a selection of ceramic table wares produced by artisans in Spain, Vietnam, and Portugal. Like their creator, Maia Ming’s ceramics are a fusion of Asian and Western cultures -- both aesthetically and in how they re-create a product from one culture into another. For example, the Lotus cake stand transforms a quintessentially Western product like a pastry stand by developing it in the shape of a lotus flower. In Asia, the lotus flower is symbolic of fortune. It is also the symbol of resurrection, purity, serenity and peace. These glossy white lotus plates rise and bloom into a delicate and elegant serving platter. A smaller interpretation of the lotus flowers is available in the porcelain Lotus bowls. Each delicate pair of nesting flower bowls is wheel thrown, handmodified, and ideal for serving small appetizers.