I have been sitting with this news for a while now, barely knowing how to put it into words — but here it is: in August 2025, my Toxic collection won first prize at the international Ceramics in Love exhibition in Castellamonte, Italy.
It all started quietly, as the best things often do.
One ordinary morning in early 2025, I was at home, not expecting anything in particular, when a message appeared in my Instagram inbox from a man named Giuseppe Bertero. He introduced himself, said he had discovered my work online, and invited me to submit pieces for jury consideration — a chance to be selected for a real exhibition in Italy, in the beautiful Piedmontese town of Castellamonte.
I thought: why not? I chose what felt like the most honest pieces from the Toxic collection, photographed them, and sent them off without too many expectations. A few days later, a letter arrived confirming that I had been selected as one of 120 participating artists from 25 countries. That alone felt like more than enough. I carefully packed the vases, shipped them to Italy, and felt quietly happy that my work would be exhibited abroad for the second time. I wasn’t hoping for anything beyond that.
Then August arrived.
I was in my studio when a second message appeared — this one from the city Mayor. “Hello Paulius, I am happy to announce that your work has won first prize in the exhibition.”
My first instinct, honestly, was that it was a scam.
But it wasn’t. I was invited to travel to Castellamonte, attend the opening ceremony, and say a few words in front of a gathered crowd — which was terrifying, because I am genuinely terrible at speeches. And yet, standing there, seeing my vases displayed among the works of so many talented artists from around the world, I couldn’t have wished to be anywhere else.
This was one of the most unexpected and meaningful moments of my life as a ceramicist. I am still a little speechless about it — and this time, that’s a good thing.
