Biography
From Emilia’s tables to the wheel
Elena grew up in the province of Parma, where clay meant both kitchenware and the red earth of the foothills. After studies in design in Bologna, she apprenticed in small studios across Tuscany and Emilia, learning to throw with patience and to fire with respect for the kiln’s unpredictability.
Workshops with visiting makers — including periods focused on ash glazes and wood-related firing atmospheres — shaped her preference for muted surfaces and forms that earn their place on a daily table. In 2018 she opened Hill Clay Atelier on a family hillside lane in Noceto, choosing the quiet of woods and vineyards over a city storefront.
Today she divides time between making, teaching short workshops, and — when the calendar allows — hosting a single artist for a month-long residency.
