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Rachel Carter Ceramics exists under the treetops of Rachel’s Titirangi Studio, where she creates her signature stoneware: throwing, turning, glazing and firing daily, resulting in functional, considered pieces with well-balanced forms and muted tones.
Rachel has been lending her talent, crafting a limited collection of stoneware vessels especially for us. These hand thrown forms have been carefully created to hold something uniquely different, with a scent so special. As the Waxed Perfume burns down to the base, these unique stoneware vessels then become a beautiful piece of homeware to be enjoyed multiple ways, every day.
I'd always designed and created things as a child. After trying to head down the more traditional route of a degree and a 9-5 job I realised I needed to try and make a career in craft work for me. The tactile nature of clay drew me to ceramics. The process requires a good mix of technical and creative skills so that the feeling you get when you take a beautiful piece from the kiln is pretty special.
I have a few beautiful pieces by Sandy Lockwood. She makes fluid and relaxed thrown work in porcelain and stoneware, fired in a wood kiln to give the pieces a warm and varied finish.
Work relaxes me, absolutely. It's such a nice feeling to get down into the studio each day. Not all aspects of the process are relaxing - glazing, firing and admin can be tedious but the time spent on the wheel throwing and turning makes the "job" parts worthwhile.
I keep my studio quite clean and organised compared to a lot of pottery studios I've been in, but I find that allows me to focus on what I am making at the time. I also have a separate gallery which helps with the viewing of the work once it's finished. It gives me a bit of time afterwards to work out what works about the piece and what needs refining.
So many, freesias, old-fashioned roses, daphne, citrus flowers, anything fresh from the garden.
Kate Brouwer is the creative craftswoman behind Melbourne-based Asobimasu Clay, a creative studio where a range of playful vessels, tableware and often sculptural ceramics take shape. A core focus of Asobimasu Clay is sustainability and durability. A real reflection of Australia, Kate uses only local materials, including regionally sourced clay. All waste materials are recovered, recycled and then created into new works.