The Story

Part nightlights, part companions. Every piece begins the same way — a lump of cool grey clay and a small, slightly strange animal that decides it wants to exist.

Alisa Merenfeld makes ceramic creatures from her studio in Haarlem. They are inspired by unusual animals — anteaters, toucans, dragons of no particular species — reimagined as gentle guardians built to sit on a shelf and glow softly through the night.

From a sketch to a creature

Each one starts as a quick drawing — a posture, an expression, a hint of mischief. From there it is hand-built in stoneware, coil by coil, then carved, dried slowly, and fired twice. Glazes are mixed and tested in small batches, so colours shift a little from piece to piece. Nothing is cast from a mould; no two creatures are quite the same.

A small warm light is fitted inside, turning each sculpture into a nightlight. The glow finds its way out through thin walls and carved openings, giving every creature its own particular way of lighting up a room.

Made to keep you company

These pieces are meant to be lived with — to watch over a bedside table, keep a child company in the dark, or simply bring a little whimsy into a quiet corner. They are made one at a time, with a lot of patience and a little bit of nonsense.

If a creature has caught your eye, every piece on the site is available to buy or pre-order. Reach out through the contact form or say hello on Instagram, WhatsApp or Telegram — Alisa answers all of them herself.