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Fantastical Creatures Adorned with Ornate Sculptural Details

Together, Ukrainian artists Anya Stasenko and Slava Leontyev craft fantastical porcelain creatures with vividly-decorated surface designs. The charming figures are small in stature – ranging from one and a half inches to about 15 inches – and are adorned with ornate sculptural details as well as intricately-painted stories and patterns. Fish, owls, rabbits, and hybrid critters make an appearance in the duo's impressive repertoire.

Considering the creativity and the amount of skill needed to produce these characters, you might be surprised to learn that Stasenko and Leontyev aren't trained ceramicists. They are graphic artists and painters, but choose to use clay because it's relatively easy work with. Stasenko mostly focuses on the painting while Leontyev concentrates on the overall form and concept. Their successful collaboration creates a single artistic voice for these beautifully unusual and endearing figurines.

Anya Stasenko and Slava Leontyev website
Anya Stasenko and Slava Leontyev Facebook page
via [Laughing Squid and Bored Panda]

Sara Barnes

Sara Barnes is a Staff Editor at My Modern Met and Manager of My Modern Met Store. She is a graduate of the Maryland Institute College of Art where she earned her BFA in Illustration and MFA in Illustration Practice. Sara is also an embroidery illustrator and writer living in Seattle, Washington. She runs Bear&Bean, a studio where she stitches pet portraits and other beloved creatures. She chronicles the creativity of others through her website Brown Paper Bag and newsletter, Orts. Her latest book is Threads of Treasure: How to Make, Mend, and Find Meaning Through Thread, published in 2014. Sara’s work has been recognized in Be Creative With Workbox, Embroidery Magazine, American Illustration, on Iron and Wine’s album Beast Epic, among others. When she’s not stitching or writing, Sara enjoys planning things that bring together the craft community. She is the co-founder of Camp Craftaway, a day camp for crafty adults with hands-on workshops in the Seattle area.
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