Beatričė Kelerienė – ceramic artist and founder of the Anagama Ceramics Centre
Since 2003, for a good decade, Beatričė Kelerienė has studied and worked in the ceramic craftsmen's workshops throughout Japan, including Tamba, Shigaraki, Echizen, Tokoname, Seto, Tajimi, Kutani, Hagi, Mino and Bizen. These years of study and practice had a lasting influence on her approach to clay, wood firing and the relationship between material, fire and time.
In 2010, Beatričė Kelerienė established a ceramics studio in Misato, Shimane Prefecture, Japan, while continuing her research into traditional Lithuanian ceramic practices and techniques. That same year, she was granted the official status of Art Creator of Lithuania in recognition of her artistic achievements. In 2013, her ceramic works received National Heritage certification.
In 2014, Beatričė founded the Anagama Ceramic Art Centre near Vilnius, Lithuania, and built anagama kiln, the Karmazinų Anagama wood-firing kiln, which became central to her artistic practice. A decade later, she built a second kiln, the Dūkštos Anagama, in the village of Buivydai.
Anagama kilns are among the oldest types of wood-fired ceramic kilns. Fired continuously over several days and nights, they reach temperatures of approximately 1300°C. As the flames move through the kiln, wood ash settles on the clay and melts into its surface, creating natural ash glazes and distinctive, often unpredictable variations in colour and texture.
Krosnis yra įrankis. Meninis rezultatas pirmiausia priklauso nuo kūrėjo žinių, patirties ir gebėjimo priimti sprendimus. Beatričė Kelerienė
Every decision — from the choice of clay and the form of each piece to its placement in the kiln, the direction of the flames, and the firing atmosphere — shapes the final result. For Beatričė, anagama firing is a deliberate creative process that combines artistic vision with technical mastery. While fire and ash can never be fully controlled, it is the artist’s knowledge, experience, and skill in working with these unpredictable elements that ultimately determine the success of the firing.
Each piece thus emerges from the interplay of artistic mastery, creative intention, clay, fire, ash, and time.
Today, Beatričė creates one-of-a-kind vessels and ceramic sculptures. Alongside her studio practice, she organises ceramics classes, workshops, and wood-firing events, creating opportunities for learning, experimentation, and exchange among ceramic artists.
Her works can be viewed and acquired by appointment at the Anagama Ceramics Open Studio / Gallery in Vilnius and the Anagama Ceramics Centre in Dūkštos.