Rustic Modern has evolved from decades of diverse experiences which are delightfully converging and inspiring new projects in ceramics and food.

Alessandra’s early years were spent lightly supervised and free ranging on the hills and beaches of Malibu. Her aesthetics were shaped by the historic Malibu Potteries tile as well as the hours spent collecting natural and manmade found objects along the coast for repurposing into projects.

Art and design education happened at UCSB at a time that there was an amazing synergistic moment between excellent professors and dynamic students.
Graduate work at the Southern California Institute of Architecture involved designing and building full scale ceramic structures with Nader Khalili of Cal Earth.

We have been producing handmade ceramic tile professionally for the last 30 years with our custom tile lines represented by showrooms around the country. Tile work can be found at: www.AlessandraHaines.com

Back yard farming in the challenging environs of the high desert of New Mexico has nurtured a deep appreciation for the local, land race and heirloom crops that have the tenacity to survive and thrive while offering endless variety and inspiration in the kitchen. Hand made pottery reflects the unpredictable variety intrinsic in homegrown and hand crafted food.