Dina Nur Satti: The Ceramic Artist
Dina Nur Satti is an inspiring woman who works hard to build herself and her company every day. One who tirelessly beats misconceptions about the African continent through her marvelous work. Dina is a woman who has never let anyone bring her down. Dina Nur Satti- the empowered woman who can bring back everyone’s passion for pottery.
Dina’s life:
She is originally from Sudan and Somalia and was raised in France and Kenya, but she now lives in New York and has been there for around 16 years.
Dina traveled extensively from a young age, and her passion for pottery sprung up from her fascination with the ancient world’s ritual objects. African cultures and traditions were part of her family dinner conversations, and her mother was interested in the movements of indigenous people across Africa. She would take Dina with her to African home decor and antique stores quite often.
Nur’s Ceramics:
Dina founded Nur Ceramics in 2016, giving hommage to the Arabic word for light (nur) and part of her middle name. The concept of Nur represents the Sufi principle that we have to go through the darkness to find light, meaning that we have to look at our personal and collective shadow to be able to become more whole beings and societies.
Dina makes sculptural vases and decor accents that are all designs that are infused with symbols from Sudan and Somalia’s plants, trees, ancient histories, and rituals. “Nur Ceramics,” where she sells self-made ceramics, including pots, decoration pieces, and even beaded accents.
Her designs come in a large variety, from traditional Nubian-inspired ceramics to large beaded accents.
Her inspiration:
Dina Nur Satti obtained a bachelor’s degree in International & Intercultural Studies focusing on Africa and the Middle East’s cultures. Her education is what got her started. She began creating ceramics because of her passion for art and pre-colonial African societies and how ritual objects and spatial design alter how people experience different spaces.
But why exactly did Dina choose clay of all mediums? She considers ceramics to be a vessel or container through which she explores ideas of personal purpose and growth, as well as our collective transitions, cultural storytelling, and communal rituals.”
However, it wasn’t just the medium that sparked her fascination. Her creations revolve around historical and traditions in the African continent. She hopes that her work will inspire people to appreciate African culture and look past the problematic ideologies that the continent was forced into by society.
Dina’s successful adventures:
Her success is present for anyone who takes a glance at her website or looks up her name or brand. Dina is a prominent member of the ceramics community and showcases her work in design stores and platforms across the United States. She has also collaborated with popular magazines and brands such as YESAET, Anthropologie, Jenny Bird, Tory Burch, and many more.
Her most significant success is her brand which she constructed single-handedly. Her work is an inspiration to women and people with an African heritage worldwide. Her passion created Nur Ceramics which boomed since its release. Her latest collections sell out almost immediately, and she always has to restock due to high demand.
Although some of her most popular designs include her many vessels and bowls, she doesn’t limit herself to this. Dina also offers incense holders, beaded accents, and ritual bowls, to name a few.
Future aims and goals:
Dina has been traveling throughout Africa from Morocco to Ethiopia to interact with multiple communities. With this, she finds various ancient methods of craft that help her research objects in ceremonial traditions. She aims to continue traveling far and wide and find more inspiration for her work so that her audience can enjoy the cultural beauty of Africa alongside her.
Dina has a life-long passion for the history and ceramics of Africa and the Global South. She aims to inspire her audience to challenge their misconceptions of Africa’s history and create a new narrative.
She also has a firm belief that interacting with her fans or clients is essential. She is engaged with them on social media and creates unique offerings just for them, such as her ‘Playlist for Artistic Transcendence’ series you can find on Spotify.
She hopes that her work helps people connect with ancient Africa and learn from its fascinating traditions and rich cultural history.
Nur Ceramics’s Official Website: click here.
Nur Ceramics’s Instagram Page: click here
Summer 2021 Presale: click here
