It all began in a simple pottery course Lior Shachar took as a child in the neighborhood where she grew up in Israel.

In college she studied art therapy, but it was in the ceramics studio where she always felt inspired, energized, and happy. Eventually, Lior came to her senses and turned what she thought could only be a hobby into a full-time career. She now makes beautiful pottery in her small and cozy studio in Jaffa. She has worked with ceramics every day for the past twenty years.

Lior named her studio “1220” because that’s the temperature at which the clay is fired. She loves combining various techniques such as slip casting using molds she designed herself, a slab roller and, of course, the wheel. For Lior, the magic is in seeing how the clay gets a new life through the complexity of her work.

Lior feels that the pieces she creates are just like her home aesthetic—simple, nice to look at, and nice to use.

Lior is inspired by food and loves cooking and entertaining. Her mother was a great cook who was thoughtful about how foods should look in serving pieces and enjoyed setting a beautiful table. She collected dishes from all over the world. Trees, stones and nature also inspire Lior.

“I always think of an object’s function first—what it will be used for, what one can eat from it, but also how will it look on the dining table. I enjoy hosting dinner parties and I love the visual part that goes with it. Yet I am also aware of the importance of striking a balance between the food one cooks and the dishes it’s served in, so that one does not overpower the other. The balance and the equilibrium between the two is something that interests me.”

Lior lives in Jaffa, Israel, is married to a journalist and is a mother to two daughters. To see the complete line and to purchase any of her pieces, check out her Etsy shop, 1220 Ceramics.