From the potter's wheel to the drawing pen: How Joel Adank found his second handwriting
First Joel Adank shaped plates from clay, now he draws octopuses on beach towels. Both start the same way for him: with his own hand, long before a factory takes over. A conversation about two materials, a way of thinking - and why a woven cloth of all things is his favorite product.
Joel Adank became known for his tableware. Quiet grey, beige, and blue tones, shaped by his eye as a food photographer. Meanwhile, something new has been added to his brand Atelier Agave: illustrations woven onto bath towels – which sold out within weeks. I meet the 34-year-old in his Zurich studio to understand how these two very different materials belong together.
You enjoyed drawing as a child and then became a photographer. How did this detour come about?
Joel Adank: I never thought I could do anything with drawing. In the end, one thing just led to another – from the first cookbook to tableware, then to illustrations. What was always important to me was to have my own project. It's nice to revive an old passion.
What is the biggest difference for you between drawing and shaping clay?
For me, both are actually a total work of art. I always try to learn different techniques, a new one every year. I don't want to master everything perfectly, but I want to be able to create the forms I imagine. Ultimately, both are about designing with your hands. The lines flow differently than if you just calculate or plan.
And in the process – are there parallels?
Yes, what's similar is: when drawing, you can add a line; when pottery, you can expand or reduce your object. You can play until it's final. In both, I often make several versions, compare them, and in the end combine the best elements – only that with drawing, color plays a role from the beginning, while with pottery, it comes later.
Was it a conscious decision to move away from grey tones to colorful motifs, or did it just happen that way?
It depends on the application. In the end, the whole set table is colorful. I come from food photography and always consider the dish when setting the table – the plate should form the canvas. Take the octopus on the bath towel: the grey-blue background makes the pink pop. With the plate, it's the exact same logic – it's the grey background, the food is the bright element.
My tableware should form the canvas; the food is the actual colorful picture.
<quotesource_alt>Joel Adank</quotesource_alt>
Are there colors you consciously avoid in ceramics?
For example, I haven't used green so far, or only in a shade that isn't too close to the green of vegetables. If you end up serving spinach or broccoli in the same shade of green, it won't stand out at all, and the dish will get lost on the plate.
Is DIY your leitmotif as a designer?
Yes, definitely. At the beginning, the question was whether I should curate the label – meaning buying things that already exist – or really design everything myself. I clearly opted for the latter. This has the advantage that you automatically don't do the same as others. Especially as a small, artist-led label, you have to make an effort to be a little different.
What's next?
A blanket, made in Turkey. Whether cotton or linen is still open.
How do you ultimately decide?
I have to be passionate about it, find my product beautiful. But it's just as important to involve the community – I often let people vote on Instagram if I can't decide between two options. This is also a sustainability idea: I don't want to produce anything that no one wants or can afford in the end.
And for the blanket – have you asked yet?
Not yet, I'm deliberately waiting: it's midsummer, and the new towels should get their spotlight first. Only when the concept is solid do I get feedback – with real samples, not AI-generated images, so that the product remains authentic.
Which object in your collection could you not part with?
I think it's the towels. They are my centerpiece because I completely came up with the illustration myself. That's not comparable to a plate, where I tend to choose the glaze rather than design it independently.
The feeling that people appreciate what I've drawn and pay for it is one of the most beautiful feelings ever for me.
<quotesource_alt>Joel Adank</quotesource_alt>
Like a cheerleader, I celebrate good design and bring you closer to everything furniture- and interior design-related. I regularly curate simple yet sophisticated interior finds, track down trends and interview creative minds about their work.
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