Azulina Ceramics Create Bright, Colorful Tablescapes with Hand-Painted Pieces

Creating beautiful tablescapes is an art that combines functionality, flow, and style. Dinnerware is often relegated to a neutral backdrop and other elements take center stage.

Not so with Azulina Ceramics, dinnerware and servingware hand-painted by artisan women in Colombia and bursting with bright, happy colors and designs. Their craft  dates back over 100 years, and about three-and-a-half years ago, Houston-native Melissa Moriarty became enchanted with the style.

Moriarty moved to Medellín, Colombia, in the fall of 2011 and while living there, a friend told her about a small town known for its hand-painted ceramics, about 90 minutes outside the city.

“One day, when I was on the hunt for the perfect wedding gift, I drove out to the town, El Carmen de Viboral, and found a treasure trove of gorgeous blue and white ceramics,” Moriarty said. “The light bulb went off and I almost immediately came up with the idea to setup a business to sell the pottery in the U.S. I just knew that I couldn’t be the only one who would fall in love with the ceramics.”

She was right on, and Azulina Ceramics is for sale online and in over 35 stores in the U.S., including 11 in Texas and two in North Texas, P.S. The Letter and the Kimbell Art Museum gift shop.

I asked Moriarty about creating the perfect tablescape and to tell us the story of these lovely ceramics. She’s got great tips and a fascinating story!

On its most fundamental level, a tablescape is simply an arrangement of items grouped together and placed on a dining table. But within that simple formula, there are infinite variations and opportunities to showcase creativity and beautiful items that will enhance any food served.

A classic tablescape can include any of these (although probably not all of these) in a variety of heights, textures, and colors: dinnerware and servingware, fabrics and napkins, flowers and foliage, fruit and vegetables, candles, baskets, bowls, and tea trays.

Many people stick with neutral dinnerware and servingware, not realizing that those can be showcase items. Moriarty shared her personal tips for a memorable tablescape.

“I have a couple simple rules: mix the patterns, use neutral placemats as a contrast to the bright Azulina colors, always have flowers, and always have nonscented candles,” she said. “I try not to fuss too much with the table or else it won’t feel comfortable and approachable. Personally, my favorite tablescape has a mix of our blue and white patterns, Carmen, Clásico, and Linea Blue. It’s timeless and chic.”

The fresh, bright colors of Azulina Ceramics are inspired by flowers found on the surrounding hillsides of El Carmen de Viboral: roses, hydrangeas, orchids, carnations, and sunflowers, to name a few. In fact, flowers make the region famous worldwide, as celebrated annually by Medellín’s flower festival, “Feria de las Flores.”

The pieces Moriarty sells have a wonderful story and long history in the area. The workshop where Azulina Ceramics are made is a local family-owned business. The owner’s brother-in-law runs the front desk, his son runs a parallel ceramics business next door, and his wife is in charge of inventory.

The Azulina workshop currently employs between 35 to 40 people, all local to the town of El Carmen. Twelve of those employees are the famed woman artisans who hand paint their work without a stencil, guide, or photo to create a truly one-of-a-kind piece.

“It’s really incredible how many people are involved in the creation process and how seamless the operation is,” she said. “I am simply in awe of the craftsmanship.”

Azulina Ceramics is built upon a foundation of supporting and preserving artisanal traditions, which makes their stoneware pottery even more joyful to use.

“I didn’t specifically seek out local artisans to work with, I just happened to stumble upon their beautiful work and put two and two together,” Moriarty said. “A lot of people get into the trap of giving me too much credit. I feel blessed that this opportunity crossed my path and that I had the gumption to quit my job and pursue it.”

Moriarty is exploring the possibility of expanding her offerings to include other tablewares.

“There is a good likelihood that we will soon offer hand-sewn textiles that pair nicely with our ceramics,” she said. “In fact, I have a meeting first thing tomorrow in a town just north of Bogotá that hand-embroiders linens like hand towels and cocktail napkins.”

Like the ceramics, these items would employ local artists.

“Now that I know how great it is to support local artisans and highly skilled craftsmen and women, I want to do a lot more of it,” she said. “I hope that I can play a big role in keeping the ceramics tradition alive in Colombia for decades to come.”

Moriarty still makes the trek to the Lone Star State, and is actively seeking event partners in North Texas.

“I am planning to travel to Texas in late March or early April to meet with our stores and do a couple of trunk shows—in fact, I’d love to do an event in partnership with another small business in the DFW area while I’m stateside,” she said. “If there is someone who would be interested in hosting me I’d love to take them up on the offer in exchange for some pretty ceramics, Colombian coffee, and a nice bottle of wine!”

Azulina is also launching a coastal-themed pattern mid-year, and Moriarty hopes to exhibit in Las Vegas by the end of the year.

As for people who wonder what made a Texas gal move thousands of miles away to pursue pretty pottery in another country, Moriarty says it’s actually pretty simple.

“Everyone thinks I am either crazy, a hippy backpacker-type or in a quarter-life crisis. It’s none of the above. Not even close,” she said on her blog. “I just happen to love living in a place that challenges me. I love the big city, the vibrant energy, the feeling that this place is on the verge of something really big.”