אל על | אטמוספירה

Lifestyle I Design

Meaningful Gifts

From bug-embedded porcelain bowls to hand-decorated plates made by a young Israeli artist gone too soon. Here are 5 recommendations for beautiful gifts with added meaning. Happy Holidays! \ By Adi Fogel Hollander

Bug-embedded ceramics | Esti Castro Studio Esti Castro is an internationally renowned Israeli sculptor and ceramicist. After spending years specializing in bronzework, Castro veered towards ceramics and porcelain, following the untimely death of her young son. The beautiful household items she creates are inspired by her belief in “the perfection of imperfection”. Each one of her creations tells its own story and always contains a grain of humor. Her latest series of bug-embedded porcelain bowls was inspired by the pranks her son used to play. The pastel tones of celadon green, sky-blues, pinks and whites, and the amorphous lines of the bowls soften and complete the design. Available for purchase at her studio in Jaffa. Price: NIS 180 a piece (diameter: 12 cm) esticastro.com @esticastrostudio

Photo: Aya Wind

Decorative plates and designs | Hagar Barkat

The late Israeli illustrator Hagar Barkat passed away at the untimely age of 27. Since her passing, her parents Irit and Gidi have continued the work she began creating a special fund for the promotion of excellence in illustration and graphic design via the attribution of awards and scholarships. The fund works in collaboration with various academic institutions and design initiatives in Israel, in part financed by the sale of Barkat’s artwork, purchasable via the fund website and at all Asufa design stores. Some of our favorite designs of hers are her hand-illustrated decorative plates and the heart-warming “hearts series”. Price: NIS 250-350 (19-25 cm diameter) Directly purchasable via email or Whatsapp and at all Asufa design stores. hagarbarkat-foundation.org @hagarbkt

Photo: Naomi Maroz

34 ATMOSPHERE SEPTEMBER 2023