MERU

About the house

Two makers, one studio

MERU Art Studio was founded by ceramist Carlos Mestre and artist-educator Ruta Kurpniece. We work from Avotu iela 10, Riga, Latvia under one idea — art as medicine: that time spent shaping something with your hands does you good, whether or not you ever call yourself an artist.

Carlos Mestre, co-founder of MERU Art Studio

Ceramics · co-founder

Carlos Mestre

Carlos looks after the clay side of the house — throwing, glazing and firing — and teaches the adult ceramics sessions. He brought a Southern-European sense of hospitality to the studio: long tables, strong coffee, nobody rushed.

Ruta Kurpniece, co-founder of MERU Art Studio

Fine arts & education · co-founder

Ruta Kurpniece

Ruta leads the painting and drawing work and the children's lessons, weaving Latvian craft traditions into what happens at the table. She is the reason MERU treats making as care rather than performance.

The floor plan

Rooms for making

A sketch of how the house is laid out. Sessions move between these areas — clay at the back, paint by the windows, tea in the middle.

  • AClay roomWheels, wedging table, hand-building.
  • BFiring cornerKiln and glaze shelves.
  • CPaint studioEasels and north light.
  • DChildren's tableLow table, washable everything.
  • EThe dispensaryShop shelves and the front desk.
  • FTea nookWhere the work is looked at.

An indicative sketch of the studio, not a survey drawing.

AClay roomCPaint studioDChildren's tableBFiring cornerFTea nookEDispensaryentrance

Come by

Avotu iela 10, Riga, Latvia

See the workshopsChildren's lessons