enki magazine. q+a

It was such a joy to chat with Enki magazine about my latest collection, musing on my studio practice and techniques as well as inspiration and other creative mediums. Featured in the May/June print edition - volume 54

You can read the full chat below.

What led you to ceramics?

I like to stay curious and explore different parts of my creativity. I have never followed one career path in life and so a studio for me is a space that allows me to be artistic in many ways. Ceramics came into my life quite by accident many years ago - I had a friend who was a fantastic potter, she helped guide and teach me to pinch clay into satisfying forms like cups and bowls. I was totally drawn to this incredible, malleable earth material, that when combined with water and fire alchemised into something solid and tangible. I have been on my journey with clay ever since.

Where do you find inspiration?

I am fascinated by the way that humans give meaning to objects and the interaction and conversation between objects in our spaces. A considered curation of personal things can be deeply moving, inspiring and revealing, it feels both private and public. I’m keen to explore these ideas around objects and our sense of self.

Growing up in Cornwall I was always drawn to the feeling of awe that you can access there - confronted by monumental granite cliffs and huge tide-shaped rocks and pools. It’s a wild landscape that I never get tired of exploring.

Where is your studio based?

Currently I’m based in Berlin, I’ve just moved from Cornwall and I’m loving the change in energy and scenery. Studio breaks now involve wandering along the willow lined canal near my apartment or cycling to one of the city’s beautiful lakes. I’ve also been soaking up the incredible creative scene here, from emerging artist shows to international exhibitions.

What does the making process of your pieces look like? How long does it take?

There are many steps from raw clay to finished ceramic and none can be rushed. A single piece is made over the course of weeks - after the initial building and shaping, it is left to dry a little to be further reshaped and refined in the following days when the clay is a little harder. It is then left until completely bone dry before it has its first firing (bisque). After this, it is coated with glaze and has a second, hotter firing (glaze), before being sanded, washed and dried. It’s process heavy but these many stages of transformation are quite magical to witness.

What draws you to the slow-paced way of working?

All of my pieces are created using hand building techniques which inevitably means that the process of shaping and building is slow. This pace allows me to find a meditative flow state and a rhythm that feels calming and allows my mind to wander. I hope that this feeling also resonates within the finished piece.

Could you tell us about the traditional techniques you use?

I primarily use pinch and coiling methods to slowly build up shapes. Coiling is where you use fresh coils of clay to build up the walls of your work and pinching refers to the method of using your fingertips to manipulate the clay into form. I use every part of my hand to build up forms; sometimes pinching, slapping or smoothing - there is no right way to handbuild, no exact science and that is really freeing. I use a small selection of wooden tools to help me sometimes, especially when smoothing the outer surface.

Do you always know what each piece will look like when you start making?

I don’t start out with any fixed idea of what I’m about to make, I like to give space to allow forms to emerge in a more dynamic way of making. It is an intuitive direction that I try to follow, tuning in with touch.

What informs the shapes and textures of your work?

The physical and material process of making creates an interesting relationship to the objects I make. The marks of the maker: repetitive, small indentations are a reminder of the person that made the piece. This is the connection between my hands and yours. I think this human element is important in my work, I want the pieces to feel refined but also bodily, resonant with the energy that was involved when creating.

Every clay responds differently to touch, there are nuances of elasticity, plasticity and surface texture - all contributing to the finished form. When firing, pieces may shrink, warp and react to the extreme temperatures and mineral glazes; transforming in ways that feel exciting.

How would you describe your latest collection?

This latest collection builds on my earlier work, larger vessels sit together with smaller bellied forms. Instead of a heavily pinched finish, works have a smoother touch, the marks of my hand are more subtle but felt somewhere deeper in the finished work.

What are your favourite forms to create?

I’ve always been drawn to vessels - sculptural and beautiful in their own right as objects, holding space. The interior space feels just as important, but it is kind of secret, unknowable. From the very beginning I’ve made simple forms, mostly unadorned. I think I’m always trying to achieve certain qualities, maybe a satisfying curve, elegant proportions, or a kind of equilibrium. The finished forms are made up of these elements along the way.

How do you keep your mind refreshed between producing collections?

Making a collection is quite immersive, as pieces evolve, a universe begins to form. Despite variations in form and clay type, works are united in this distinct moment. Between collections I like to take time away from the studio to refresh my senses and reflect on what I’ve made. I like to experiment and be playful, maybe I’ll go out with my camera or go to an exhibition. Recently I’ve been scribbling with pastels on paper and experimenting with expressions in colour.