For this edition of our Creative Series, we sit down with a multidisciplinary artist and long-time friend of Pampa, Serena Mitnik-Miller, whose intuitive and nature-led practice has shaped the way she creates—and lives. As a collaborator on our LAND rug collection (launching this coming Thursday), her sensitivity to form, texture and place helped bring the designs to life in a way that feels both grounded and expansive.
In this conversation, she reflects on the beauty of handcrafted objects, the quiet power of a well-placed rug, and the natural rhythms that continue to guide her work.
How would you describe yourself as a creative?
I’m a process-driven artist. I work intuitively, often beginning with organic shapes or watercolour washes and letting the forms evolve. For me, creativity is about slowing down, observing natural rhythms, and translating that into something tactile and balanced. Whether I’m painting, sculpting or collaborating on a new project, I’m always returning to nature as a grounding force.
Why is it important to you to have art and handcrafted objects around you at home and within your space?
There’s a calm that comes from being surrounded by pieces that carry the human touch. I think objects that are made slowly, with intention, hold a certain energy. They remind you to pause. Whether it’s a ceramic vessel, a woven textile, or a painting—handcrafted objects tell stories. They carry traces of the person who made them, and bring a quiet, soulful presence into a space.
What role do you believe a rug plays in shaping a space?
A rug can anchor a room. It’s one of the first things your feet feel when you step inside, and it can completely shift the tone of a space—bringing warmth, texture, and a sense of grounding. Rugs are also such a beautiful canvas for design. They can subtly echo the landscape or make a soft statement through form and material.
What is your favourite colourway of your LAND rugs?
I’m really drawn to the Coffee & Camel colourway—it feels rich yet soft, and reflects the tones I return to again and again in my paintings and home. But I also love how the Olive and Bone work together—it’s a little nod to the California hills and coastal tones that I live with every day.
What inspires your work?
I’m constantly inspired by nature—coastlines, tide pools, desert formations, the patterns that emerge over time in the natural world. Living by the ocean, I’m always watching how water moves, how light changes throughout the day. My work is a way of capturing those fleeting impressions and turning them into something lasting.
More on Serena Mitnik-Miller here
Film: Anais & Dax
Photos: Victoria Aguirre
*All images & words are copyright of Pampa, for any kind of use please contact us at hello@pampa.com.au for permission.
Photos by Victoria Aguirre
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