In 1966, at the age of seven, I already knew what I loved to play with… clay.

I spent my first ten years growing up in Amsterdam, Holland. My father had a small studio in our basement where he practiced his artistic talents through clay modeling and woodcarving. I loved being there, working on my own little creations. Keeping me busy with clay was his best strategy while he focused on his art.

Little did he know he was shaping a future potter in that basement studio.

In 1969, we moved back to Caracas, Venezuela.

Fast forward to 1990.

The day I took my first wheel-throwing class, I was hooked. From that moment on, there was no turning back. Inspiration came from everywhere—especially from living surrounded by nature in the mountain suburb of El Gavilán near Caracas. What began as passion soon became a full-time business. I sold my work to galleries and gift shops throughout El Hatillo and the greater Caracas area.

Many pots later…

In 1998, I moved to Miami with my family, beginning a new chapter in my life. There, I established NelaCeramics. Immersed in a completely different environment, my work naturally evolved, influenced by the vibrance and tropical glamour of South Florida. My colors, forms, and energy transformed along with my surroundings.

More than twenty years later—after successfully riding out a few hurricanes—I continue creating. Though at a slower pace now.

In 2020, I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s.

This journey has had its challenges. Pottery vs. Parkinson’s has become an ongoing battle—one that tests me daily. I won’t deny that some mornings are harder than others, waking up as tired—or even more tired—than when I went to bed.

But I also won’t deny the strength this diagnosis has given me.

Working at a different pace, learning not to overextend myself, has brought a new dimension to my creations. My hands may move differently now, but they still move with purpose. The process has changed, but the passion remains.

We may know how every story eventually ends—but not without a fight.

And this one is far from over.