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Serena Pangestu & Anika Kalotay | Episode 1145
Kura Studio was co-founded in 2017 by best friend duo Serena Pangestu and Anika Kalotay. Kura Studio believes that responsive design can turn day-to-day tasks into small thoughtful moments. Serena and Anika’s practice is embedded in the idea of ‘making’ and ‘designing’ as a way to explore concepts of living, working, & consuming mindfully.
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Why is ethics so critical for running a business?
Serena: I will try my best, Paul, to channel his voice for this. I think ethics is important because in this day and age where mechanical production and mass production is so prevalent, also with maybe people’s lack of connection to process as well as the craftsmanship behind what it takes to come to a final product. It’s more important than ever to share that story, that people understand the carbon footprint of a product and that they understand what resources it takes to create a final product and shed light on that.
Why does quality for a small business matter that much?
Anika: It matters so much, especially for a small business because it shows how much care you have put into your work and if someone has a great experience with the product then they are going to want to come back because it is something that is giving value to their lives. It’s extremely important and it’s great that he could do that for us and help keep us on track.
What kind of advice did he give you two about keeping an eye on the money? Making sure the business is profitable?
Serena: His advice wasn’t really about that. His advice was more, increase your skill. Increase quality and charge fairly for that. And that will increase the appreciation of quality over all with our customers.
What kind of advice was given to you then about that customer relationship and helping them to feel appreciated?
Anika: Well he just told us to treat everybody with respect as you would want to be treated yourself. At the end of the day that is what everyone is. Everyone is human and they can see through if you are trying to persuade them in a not very nice way then they can see that. So it is just about honesty and treating everybody equally and fairly. It’s just really important.
What is your favorite part of the making process?
Serena: My favorite part is definitely the making process. Sitting on the wheel, or like looking at a lump of clay and being, What can you be? Or what is the potential here? And having that limitless expectation of it. The great thing about clay is if you don’t like it you can always squish it and turn it back into clay and then turn it into something else. That’s my favorite part for sure.
Anika: Mine, well relating to what I do, the work after glazing and putting everything in the kiln and when it comes out of the kiln how it’s just that finished piece, it has such a different quality to it from when it’s just been made in greenware. So I think that is just something super special to be able to have that vison and then it come to life and maybe even surprise you. It’s really exciting opening the kiln.
Books
The Thinking Hand by Juhani Pallasmaa
The Eyes of the Skin by Juhani Pallasmaa
Contact
Instagram: @kura_studio