Dawn was first introduced to clay at school, but her passion for ceramics was truly sparked during her foundation course at the age of 16. Although she initially planned to pursue ceramics at degree level, life took her in a different direction, and she remained connected to the medium through collecting and occasional evening classes. Years later, while studying counselling, she felt pulled back to clay and chose to return to college, later studying ceramics at UCA Farnham as a mature student.
She began making functional stoneware part-time before focussing in 2020 to creating full-time. Her current practice centres on decorative, narrative-driven pieces made in white earthenware, using slips and underglazes to bring colour and expression into the work. Drawing on her background in counselling, her ceramics often explore hidden or untold stories, offering space for recognition and reflection.
Dawn Hajittofi's work tells the story of life's journey-how we carry our struggles, fears, and disappointments alongside our hopes and dreams, while acknowledging suffering and the search for healing and acceptance.The vessels are thrown and altered, marked with various indentations and additions to the surface. They are decorated using slips and underglazes, finished with a randomly applied glaze. The abstract marks symbolize the significant events we encounter, acknowledging their lasting impact.
A key feature in her work is the addition of gilt, referencing the Japanese art of Kintsugi-the practice of restoring a broken vessel with gold, thus restoring its purpose, value, and worth. As Edmund de Waal notes, "Kintsugi is not the art of erasure - the invisible mend, the erasing of a mistake - but rather the marking of a loss." Through this philosophy, Dawn's work celebrates the beauty in imperfection and the transformative power of repair.
