For the last year and a half I had the privilege of working with
Katy Mitchell (otherwise known as Kathryn in her potter circles). She is not only a gallery assistant superstar but also a wonderful ceramicist. I have never met anyone so passionate about what they do until I met Katy. Her enthusiasm for her craft is endless and inspiring. She could talk about kilns and clay and glaze for hours. All words that I had never heard of before suddenly found their way into our conversations daily. Katy held her first exhibition in Australia,
Ebb Tide, just a couple of weeks before she was due to leave Australia to go back to her home on the Isle of Man, off the mainland of England. This interview was meant to coincide with her exhibition but with the unexpected announcement of her departure meant there were more important things for Katy to attend to, like packing and farewell dinners. Still the content of this interview is just too good not to publish. Without further ado, friends, Katy, Katy, friends.
Hi Katy, let’s start
at the beginning… Can you tell me a bit about where you are from and how you
got into ceramics?
I grew up the Isle of Man, a little windswept and rain soaked island in the
middle of the Irish Sea. We’re famous for motorbike races, cats with no tails
and sheep with too many horns.
At 14, my family spent an afternoon in a
paint-your-own-ceramics studio. I chose a tall mug and meticulously painted a
flower fairy design on it. Everyone else had finished or lost interest, but I
was completely engrossed in painting. Mum liked the cup so much that she gave
me a bit of money every week of that summer holiday to go back to the studio
and paint a plate or cup to be given as Christmas gifts that year. By the end
of that summer, the studio owners had offered me a weekend job. I remember
initially turning them down as I feared I wasn't good enough! I started in the
November on one of their busiest days and immediately loved the job. I spent
every Saturday and then school holidays working in the studio, cleaning up,
writing bills, working the till, showing our customers how to paint and helping
the children to finish their pieces. The family that own the studio welcomed me
as an extra daughter, teaching, supporting and inspiring me. I can certainly
attribute my creative path to them.
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| Katy's vessels |
After 4 years in the Isle of Man studio and one more in a
similar Melbourne business after moving to Australia, I had completed various commissions and received
much positive feedback on my work, but I wanted more integrity and authenticity
in my work - from this came my interest in learning to make.
Enrolling on a visual arts course, I found myself as
Michaela Kloekner's student. Not only is she a talented practicing artist,
whose work is gorgeously whimsical and embodies her sense of humour, but she is
an excellent educator. Patient and encouraging, she allowed us students to run
with whatever idea came to us, never discouraging us from a concept and would
so often walk into the studio with a book, magazine or photograph from home
that caught her eye whilst considering our work after class. Since finishing
college in 2010, I’m privileged to call Michaela my mentor and friend.
What inspired your
new body of work, Ebb Tide, and what processes are involved in creating your
works?
The title Ebb Tide was a suggestion from my exhibition
partner, Megan Puls. Megan is an established and highly respected ceramic
artist, having worked with clay for nearly 30 years. At the time we were
discussing this show, I was tentatively throwing and painting pieces for a new
range which I referred to as Heart Lines, exploring emotional ties. A
combination of the prospect of an exhibition and Megan’s enthusiasm for these
new designs encouraged me to pursue this new collection and from there the
pieces developed into a separate body of work for Ebb Tide. The connections
between the 2 ranges are evident, but I feel one can see clearly the hesitation
in the Heart Lines work and the increasing confidence throughout the Ebb Tide
work. From a technical perspective, the earlier range is made from Stoneware
clay, which has a creamier colour and slightly rougher texture, whereas I threw
the latter in Porcelain, a finer, whiter clay body that I feel is a superior
canvas for my hand painted designs – the colours are brighter and truer. The definition of Ebb Tide is ‘The receding or
outgoing tide; the period between high water and the succeeding low water.’; to
me, Ebb Tide is the time between relationships throughout our lives, be them
with lovers, friend, family or teachers – the time between meeting and leaving,
or separating and reuniting.
Your illustrations on
your vessels for your new collection Ebb Tide have a narrative quality to them… what kind of stories are the
symbols telling?
The dominant image in this exhibition was the anatomical
heart. This design filled my sketchbook 18 months ago when I had a bizarre (but
minor) health scare. Drawing hearts helped me deal with the strange situation
in which I found myself and as so often happens in my work, I drew them often
enough that they crept onto my pots. Since then the hearts have taken on
greater and deeper symbolism for me; heartbreak, emotions, relationships with
lovers, friends, family and teachers. Birds and feathers also play a
significant part in Ebb Tide; they
reference my earlier work which was inspired by rainbow lorikeets, as well
representing notions of freedom. Similarly, bird cages symbolise escape and
liberty. I have been asked if the skulls signify death, but to me they portray
the human mind and imagination. The eyes are a traditional symbol of
protection. Tying all of these motifs together are interconnected swirling
lines, another manifestation of my fascination with the connections we form
with the people in our lives, be them fleeting or enduring.
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| Some of Katy's beautiful illustrations |
This is one of your first
independent exhibitions, how would you describe the journey from the beginning
to now the end?
Intense! I produced and completed most of the work in a
full-on 4 week period. I was absolutely submerged in the making, everything
else in my life fell to the wayside – it was wonderful to be so focussed and
uncompromising. Initially I was daunted by the volume of work that I was
proposing, then questioning whether I was capable of completing so many pieces,
concerned that I was straining my wrists whilst wheel throwing, dismayed when
the kiln broke down, hopeful and thankful when friends loaned me kiln space,
jubilant when all the work fired beautifully and far exceeded my expectations,
insecure shortly before the show opened and ecstatic after receiving so much positive
and inquisitive feedback during the exhibition. In short, it’s been
satisfyingly exhausting.
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| I love looking inside people's studios... !!! |
What other Creatives
do you admire?
This will be a long list…
Ceramic artists: Bridget Bodenham, Adriana Christianson, Kris Coad, Sophie
Milne, Lindsay Emery, Linda Fahey, Elaine Bradley, Rae Dunn, Carole Epp, Makiki
Hastings, Whitney Smith and of course Michaela
Kloeckner and Megan Puls. (there are more, but I thought I should stop.)
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| Katy with her exhibiting partner for Ebb Tide Megan Puls (right) |
Where do you go to
find some good creative inspiration?
In Australia I walked the beach every morning before
sunrise. On the Isle of Man, I walk through a glen (national park) nearby my
childhood home. Both places calm my noisy thoughts!
Tell us about your
‘hood!
You have
been a Gold Coast resident for 4 years now, what is your favourite suburb and
why? Mermaid Beach! I lived there for 2 years and worked there for 3. The
beaches are beautiful and peaceful, it’s centrally located for the rest of the
city and it’s full of little independent boutiques and coffee shops.
Where was
the last good meal you ate out on the Gold Coast? The Cardamom Pod in
Broachbeach never disappoints!
Where do
you shop on the Coast for your ceramic supplies? Picasso’s Ceramics in West
Burleigh. Brad and Faye are absolute gems, always looked after me and even helped me fire most of the work for Ebb Tide!
Where
would we find you on a typical Sunday morning? Sunday was supposedly my day
off…but I could often be found in the studio! I would certainly treat myself to
breakfast in Mermaid or Nobbys Beach first though.
What is
the Gold Coast’s best kept secret? It’s way past being a secret now, but
Mandala Arts Café in Mermaid Beach is a haven for foodies, artists and
musicians.
You can follow Katy and her adventures on the Isle of Man on her blog.
