Marisa Klaster

What started with a cup of coffee out of pure interest in each others work became - now 3 years later - a still growing and fun collaboration we named Merging Matter. 

Merging Matter
Natasja van der Meer is a ceramist with a wonderful aesthetic eye. She is specialised in working with local clay and glazes from natural materials such as plants, shells and stones. As you might know by now I mostly work with local wood and at my core I love to tell a good story, connecting past and present. Both designer/makers, we find we reinforce each other in our love for craft and character of handmade objects at the interface of art and design.

Cairns Collection
The result are objects inspired by people and nature like our Cairns Collection. A synergy of two materials - clay and wood - enhanced by our individual intuitive handwriting. The wooden elements are solid, the clay elements are hollow and can be used as vases. As Merging Matter we design and craft abstract and/or functional objects for architects, interior designers, restaurants and private individuals.

Take a look

TERROIR for Fundamental Restaurant
Designing handcrafted tableware for Fundamental Restaurant in Rotterdam this year was an absolute highlight. Based on their finedining concept, we made different sets to complement their terroir cuisine: SEA, DUNE, SALT MARSH, POLDER, RIVER and FOREST. Structured and coloured with local/natural material per terroir to support, enhance and elevate the gastronomic experience when finedining at Fundamental Restaurant. 

Take a look

Table: @fundamental.objects
Tableware: @merging_matter_atelier
Photography: @michelemargotphoto

Royal Botanica
We are also both part of Botanical Tales Collective. This collective of 6 artists has it’s 2nd exposition - Layers of Time - at Paleis Soestdijk next year. We are in the midst of making new work - Royal Botanica - inspired by nature surrounding the palace and made of unique material of the estate! Let us know if you want to receive an invite for the opening on March 30, 14-17 PM

Contact
Website: mergingmatter.nl
Instagram: @merging_matter_atelier
Email: marisa@mergingmatter.nl

How to capture this big adventure in a blog; living and working in Scotland for a while was epic. Rob and I stayed at an old stone cottage in Blackadder amidst ancient forests, beaches, rivers and hills dotted with sheep. Endless stunning nature where your mind wanders freely without obligations. Clean fresh air to breath in on long walks. Dark and soundless starry nights. And the local pub filled with welcoming strangers. I just fell in love with the Scots and their land.

Real Wood Studios
But I came to work there. Real Wood Studios - a group of fellow woodworking professionals - invited me to set up my lathe at their workplace. They have their own saw mill and kiln to slow dry locally sourced wood; mostly elm, spalted beech, oak, sycamore and lime. The Borders Forest Trust holds office on the same spot. Altogether quite an inspiring circular set-up.

Hanging vase
During my residence there, I designed a hanging vase. A tall dark hollow form with a pointed bottom. Amphorae were mostly filled with wine and stood on their points in soft ground. This vase can be filled with water and mounted on the wall with flowers hanging almost all the way to the floor. I call it Bhàsa Mòhr. Scots Gaelic is hardly spoken nowadays, but I like the old sound. My work linking the past to the future.