Daily Inspiration: Meet Ilona Golovina

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ilona Golovina.

Hi Ilona, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers.
I started Mugly.NYC in 2020 as a ceramic store in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. I was representing NY-based ceramic artists, however, the project took a new path in 2021, and instead of representing other artists, I started to focus on my own ceramic work.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
I must say, the decision to close the MUGLY.NYC storefront was not easy, but it sure was the right decision for me. Being a salesperson and working in retail is a hard job that is not for everybody. Over time I realized that while I was working in the store I was dreaming about being in the workshop. Once I started to prioritize studio time, good things began to happen very quickly.

I was able to achieve good results in my practice and got recognition in the ceramic and design community. My work has been shown in the US, Italy, and Greece and featured in AD Italy and Domino Mag. All of these opportunities have felt like proof that the changes I made were right for me.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Working in ceramics has helped me find creative freedom and growth unlike any I have experienced before. I hand-build all of my pieces and this practice brings a lot of inner peace into my life. Making ceramics daily in the solitude of my studio allows me to get close to a meditative state where I am able to dissolve in the process and see where the practice takes me. Earlier this year, I started researching and foraging wild clays, this practice took me on an interesting journey – learning about the natural resources around us and being able to collect and work with that material brought a new perspective to my work and created a more profound connection between me and nature.

At the same time, the primitive hand-building techniques I use create a link between myself in the present time and generations of people who have been working with clay in the same manner for thousands of years. Having these relationships is an important part of my practice, it inspires me to rediscover the traditional approach to making ceramics while expanding my own voice and vision.

Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
My Dog Mishka is an endless source of happiness. He is a pure loving creature who is always by my side, he lets me practice unconditional love and that is the greatest gift one can get. Also, he is very cute, maybe even too cute, sometimes.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.mugly.nyc/
• Instagram: @mugly.nyc

Image Credits
Sasha Zacks @sashazacks and Still life Photos Ilona Golovina