Meet Vanessa Dalla Costa. Vanessa, an artist whose hands have shaped the world of clay for over three decades, reflects on her unconventional path to becoming a mosaic master and the unique brand she has cultivated in Trinidad.
In 1990, fresh out of high school and uncertain about her future, Vanessa’s artistic journey began rather unexpectedly. Her mother, with connections in the ceramic industry, introduced her to Carol, who was closing her ceramic wind chime business. Vanessa seized the opportunity, and soon, she was crafting her own wind chimes. As she toiled through the repetitive process, an epiphany struck her – stained glass held the key to her artistic aspirations. Yet, limited by her small island’s lack of resources, she cleverly adapted her craft to work with clay, giving birth to her signature clay mosaics, inspired by stained glass design.
Vanessa’s first foray into a local ceramic competition with her clay mosaic piece brought an astonishing victory. From there, her hobby evolved into a full-time profession. What once was making the occasional house number and table for friends has now expanded to encompass colossal walls and adorn homes and commercial spaces worldwide, from small gift items to magnificent 12-foot murals.
Vanessa admits to her unrelenting commitment to her craft, embracing it as her passion, hobby, and vocation, all rolled into one. Her studio is her sanctuary, where she dedicates countless hours to her work, finding fulfillment far more rewarding than a weekend in front of a television screen.
She lives by the mantra that loving what you do transforms work into a labor of love rather than a job. Her major milestones are the completion of challenging projects and the satisfaction of her clients who appreciate the painstaking effort she invests in each piece. Teaching her craft over the last decade has also become a noteworthy achievement.
Despite her success, Vanessa has encountered the harsh reality of gender bias, especially within the banking industry. She’s had to face the condescending notion that her husband should handle financial matters, an experience she refuses to apologize for.
Her advice to aspiring artists is candid and unfiltered – it’s a demanding, often solitary journey filled with relentless work, the absence of monthly salaries, paid holidays, and working weekends. Yet, it’s profoundly rewarding, where the fruits of one’s labor are personal and invaluable.
Vanessa takes immense pride in her unique brand, for there’s no one in Trinidad quite like her. Her venture isn’t merely a business focused solely on profit; it’s a brand defined by the quality of her work and her personal connections with customers. Visitors to her studio often drop by for a cup of coffee and a chat, an intimate engagement seldom found in standard businesses.
On the subject of Trinidad’s local brand community, Vanessa observes a positive shift in recent years. The COVID-19 pandemic and lockdowns led people to explore and appreciate the capabilities of local artisans and their products. A surge in local sales from diverse customer demographics testifies to this newfound appreciation.
In the realm of markets, Vanessa’s “BITS AND PIECES,” which she initiated in 2009, stands out as a unique gathering of local artisans. From a modest start with 20 vendors, it has grown to host 100, all offering 100% local products. Vanessa’s rigorous curation ensures that only the highest quality items make the cut. She takes pride in the success stories of vendors who have outgrown her market and expanded into larger ventures, contributing to the export market.
While Vanessa doesn’t participate in other markets, she opens her studio from November until Christmas every year, giving her customers a chance to engage directly with her work and her brand. Vanessa’s journey is a testament to the fusion of passion, determination, and a unique artistic vision, exemplifying the power of a brand that’s not just about profit but a standard of quality and personal connections.
