Porcelain Bear is a name that resonates within the design community and beyond. Gregory Bonasera established his business in the mid-1990s and, over the past decades, the designer/maker has brought to life his creative visions through the medium of porcelain.
In 2026, as the brand has evolved, Porcelain Bear is stronger than ever, conceiving new and wondrous objects for architects, designers and aficionados of fine porcelain craftsmanship.
Bonasera’s love for ceramics began as a student. His passion for designing with clay led to his future profession as he began in earnest to realise the visions he had in his mind.
Exploring the process involved investigating and understanding the 300-year-old craft of mould-making for slip casting – a process unfamiliar to the teaching staff at his school. Studying books from the school library, Bonasera bought some Plaster of Paris and taught himself how to make moulds, casting bonsai pots at home that he would then transport to school to be fired.
In fact, Bonasera became such an expert in the practice of slip casting and mould-making that, over the past 25 years, he has taught industrial design and architecture students at RMIT and at various other ceramic schools in Australia.
Mould-making for ceramics is considered a rare trade, but it is much more popular today. To become an expert, however, there are years of training through trial and error to achieve perfection.
While ceramics are his love, making with porcelain is his particular passion. “It has this incredible permanency, and not only do the coloured glazes have beauty, but so too does the porcelain itself,” Bonasera explains. “There’s a big distinction between porcelain, earthenware and terracotta, all ceramic materials. But porcelain, when you look into it, has a depth because of its translucency and it’s an incredibly hard material. It’s very durable. It’s way more durable than a lot of people will give it credit for.”
Over the years, Bonasera has conceived and created many products that span the genre of fully functional furniture, lighting, objects and accessories. There have been a multitude of collections, with many of his designs as popular today as when they were first conceived.
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In terms of lighting, there is the Cloche series, I-O-N, Eido and their counterpart ceiling roses; in furniture, Husky Cube ottomans; and of course, the Pallas table, a groundbreaking design made in 2013.
Now in 2026, Bonasera’s vision for objects has developed and large furniture pieces have become the focus. The new range, the Metro X collection, extrapolates the design of the Parisian influenced Metro series developed in 2015.
The first Metro range comprised dining and coffee tables as well as plinths of various heights and diameters, serving as tables, seats or display objects. Topped with marble, timber, glass or porcelain these objects are statement pieces.
“Because of the multiple layers of technique involved in what I do add up to quite unexpected, highly functional objects, my practice always has been and remains very unique. It has been that way for thirty years, since the mid-90s.” says Bonasera.
However, what is remarkable about Metro X is the finer curve of the porcelain, the slender forms and the transparency and the opacity of the glazes. As a range of plinths, each object is unique, as every component is handmade and fired in a kiln to create individual authenticity. For example, for some plinths there may be more than 30 components and as shrinkage occurs, small changes in components ensure each object is individual.
“I’m playing with glazes more than I used to and I’m also developing something made popular by Porcelain Bear: raw items, not overly finished,” Bonasera says. “Variations in colour are stunning. We’ve always had variations in colour, for example in our Metros. However, in Metro X the gloss ivory was allowed to be fired in different firings, in different kilns, in different positions in different kilns, and so we achieved whiter ivories, and more yellow ivories and we love that. It is these outcomes that make Porcelain Bear a very handmade, very local product.”
Through Bonasera’s experience and passion, Porcelain Bear is creating exceptional products that elevate the material of porcelain to even greater heights.
Metro X has arrived and this is just the beginning of a new wave of creativity with more designs in the pipeline. Through his years of experience and a never waning passion for porcelain, Bonasera creates objects that are made to last, to be passed from one generation to another and to be cherished.
Porcelain Bear products are also available to view and buy from Fletcher Arts.