Photography courtesy of Nicole Butler Photography & Anisa Sabet

We love seeing new creative pursuits here at HUNTERhunter and we recently stumbled across one a pop-up on Hunter St filled with beautiful and unique ceramic pieces and we couldn’t help ourselves but explore a little further.

Meet Palinopsia.

Launching in September last year following five years of planning and prepping, Palinopsia landed in Newcastle with their beautifully designed stoneware ready to go into our very own kitchens.

Catching up with director and creative-minded individual, Tamara Bajic, we hear the unique story behind Palinopsia and what exactly you can expect from the brand, her pop-up, and much more.

Born in former Yugoslavia, raised in Auckland, studied in Newcastle, and worked in Melbourne in Sydney, Tamara recently found herself back on the shores of Newcastle looking for a sea change.

“I relocated here from Sydney to be part of the dynamic small business community… here in this sea-sprayed town, I found the perfect launchpad with its great coffee and barefoot philosophy. I’ve been blown away by the supportive and generous Novocastrians and the local business community.

“There’s no tall poppy syndrome – everyone wants to see you succeed. It’s been moving, and I feel a tremendous loyalty to this town in such a short time. I want to do my part to contribute here,” Tamara shared.

With a background in fashion and textile design, Tamara has been mentored and worked alongside industry leaders including heading up the commercial team at Matt Blatt where she was designing custom furniture for interior designers and architects Australia-wide.

So, why ceramics?

“Tableware is the first thing guests notice, so it has to be bold. I couldn’t find anything in the market brave or unique enough in design to use at home and in commercial settings. I want to shake up plain white plate tyranny and bring art to the table.

“After years of developing products which burden the environment, I wanted to work with experimental material that doesn’t cause problems at disposal. It’s vital our products and packaging don’t become someone else’s problem. Ceramic pieces are the solution because they start and end as mud.”

Here is where Palinopsia was formed.

“When we finally opened the store, it felt like a titanic triumph after years of late nights and the unexpected.”

Palinopsia, according to Tamara is stoneware for storytellers. Influenced and inspired by our environment and its minerals, Palinopsia creates bold plates for bold people and unique pieces made for keeping.

“Palinopsia is a rare state where you keep seeing an object, long after you’ve stopped looking at it. It’s about lasting impressions, and so are we.”

Working with contemporary ceramic artisans on the west coast of Portugal, Tamara is invested in the history and heritage of the Palinopsia makers. Spending countless hours watching, learning, and collaborating.

“The Portuguese have been working with clay since prehistoric times; it’s part of their DNA. Trailblazers in experimental glazes and techniques, when I connected with their ceramic community, I knew I was in the best, muddy hands to realise and deliver my brand vision”.

The Palinopsia launch consists of three distinct ranges Malo in Milk, Pollock, and Sabe. Malo in Milk features a neutral palette and is texture-full and tactile and comes in a dinner plate, pasta bowl, serving bowl, and cereal bowl.

Pollock is the perfect addition to any coastal styled home. Created with a unique design, texture and finish, each piece offers imperfect organic shapes and comes in dinner and side plates, pasta bowl, and cereal bowl. The last of the first collection, Sabe is Palinopsia’s staple range.

Browse the Palinopsia range online or drop into the pop-up on Hunter St and chat directly with Tamara to hear all about the products, the story, and what’s to come.

“Newcastle is going through unique changes and being part of the buzz and retailscape of this town is everything. I’m determined to make it work here.

“I want to grow with this community. Local public and interior designers have embraced our debut tableware, so we’ll continue developing new collections from our new seaside digs.”

Whether you’re a restaurateur, café owner, ceramic lover, or just needing some new tableware, Palinopsia is a great collection to consider with their conversation-starting and beautifully designed pieces.