How do you describe what you do?
I make functional pieces from porcelain and speciality stoneware clays with the aim of taking everyday objects and making them a little bit more special. I love the feeling of a mug that sits just perfectly in your hand and using handcrafted crockery for my everyday rituals never fails to put a smile on my face!
How did you get into ceramics?
I dabbled in pottery years ago but was never able to continue it as I didn’t have access to a studio. So when my husband found Makerspace last year, I decided to join, full of enthusiasm after having watched the raku episode of the Great Pottery Throwdown. The raku workshop was my first taste of Makerspace and I was hooked instantly.
What makes your work and/or process unique?
My other great love is vintage clothing and I adore the uniqueness of every piece and I try to carry this through into my pottery. Every piece I make is completely unique. I don’t believe in matching sets, because we are all unique and deserve to have something special that is just right for us, so I much prefer to pair up pieces that are siblings rather than twins. I am also absolutely obsessed about my pieces having smooth bottoms. Not only does this prevent any scratches on furniture, but I also love stroking the super smooth foot of a cup as I hold it.
What other artists or makers do you admire? Why?
I never cease to admire the work of the many wonderful artists who work at Makerspace, both potters and printmakers, and each of their work is so unique and inspirational in their own way. I also love following incredible ceramic artists like Florian Gatsby (I love his angular forms), Tamsin Arrowsmith-Brown, who started my smooth bottom obsession, and Lea Starke, whose colours give me all the joy.
When you have the dreaded creative block, where do you get your ideas and inspiration from?
I probably feel this pressure a little bit less than artists who sell their work for a living, because if I have a creative block, I often have the luxury of giving myself time to let it pass. But if I really want to throw, I will just go with the flow and allow the clay to become what it wants to be that day. If I don’t like the outcome, I can always recycle and reuse it later.
I find I’m most likely to get creative block when looking at a table full of pieces to glaze and at that point I am usually on some sort of deadline. I keep a folder of inspiration pictures on my phone for those situations; anything that captures my attention like a beautiful sunset, bright blue sky against a sandy beach, vivid green leaves in spring and it usually fires up my imagination to come up with some nice glaze colour combinations.
What advice/tips would you give to someone who is interested in starting what you do?
One of the best bits of advice I was given along the way is that pottery is a very fair craft, nobody is good at it straight away, but practice literally makes perfect. So have a go and keep trying until you are happy with the result! I also watched lots of videos online to learn different techniques and learned so much from other members in the space who have shared their knowledge and techniques so generously.
Are there any exciting events/projects/experiences in the near future you want to share about?
I have also recently started exploring copper matte raku, which anyone who attended the last members’ raku firing would have heard me talking about endlessly. I am super excited about working on this further because it is so different from my other work and the way the colours are created by the action and proximity of the flame is just pure magic. I will definitely be making more pieces for the next raku firing and am building up quite an impressive collection of empty tins to use for it.
What made you feel like, "yes this is something I want in my life"?
Ever since I first sat at a wheel to throw, I was completely hooked. I definitely wasn’t good at it at first but I really enjoyed the feeling of the clay moving through my hands and the sheer wonder of making a beautiful functional thing literally from mud!
Where do you want to see yourself in the future with this journey? Do you want this to be a long term?
I couldn’t imagine ever not having my hands in mud in some way anymore, so this will definitely be a long term journey for me. It is such a cathartic process that really benefits my wellbeing and helps me relax from the day-to-day stresses of life. I love that I can keep experimenting and there is always something new to learn. I want to build my body of work and eventually would love to have a space to exhibit and sell my pieces, either in a gallery or shop or online.
Do you do this as a hobby? Work? Side hustle?
Definitely as a hobby; I find pottery is one of the most relaxing things. There is just something about the rhythmic motion of the pottery wheel that allows me to be completely relaxed and in the moment regardless of what else is going on in my life.
What piece of work or project are you most proud of? If you have a picture of it please send it if you feel comfortable!
This one is hard because I am working on several different new challenges at the moment, but I think the one I am most excited about is learning to mix my own glazes. It’s complex but very rewarding and I love the alchemy of it. I enjoy the experimentation of getting a glaze to come out just right and being able to change small variables to achieve the perfect shade, fluidity and fit to the clay. It gives me a level of control over the glazing process that makes me sleep just a little bit better when I’m firing a kiln.
Are there any books or exhibitions you would recommend?
I love going to exhibitions to see other potters’ work and our group trip to Suffolk Potfest yielded so much inspiration! I would also recommend watching lots of videos to learn different techniques because there is no one right way of throwing. So trying things in lots of different ways will help you learn what works best for you. Personally, I find seeing someone do things much easier than reading about it in a book as so much of pottery is about the fluidity and pace of the movements, it’s hard to capture in a picture.
Why is Colchester Makerspace important to you/or and your work?
The community is what makes Makerspace so special and I love being surrounded by other artists and seeing their inspirational work. Everyone in the space is so supportive and we are always helping each other out, be that by suggesting different techniques, helping with glazes, bunging or loading the kiln. It’s the community spirit and the generosity with which everybody shares their knowledge that makes the space so very special. Also, it’s great to have access to lots of large equipment that most of us would not be able to have at home such as the kilns and slab roller and I am very excited for some of the new things coming soon (a ball mill and potential spray booth may have been mentioned recently).
Marie’s work will be on display and available to buy from May 7th at Patch in front of the Makerspace at Trinity Works.
Below is Marie’s socials where you can see more of her pieces and contact her with any interest of purchasing!