Home is …
A slowly evolving collection of found and handmade objects. I really value knowing where things are from or how they were made, so the things I gather for my home are always guided by those principles. My cupboards are filled with an eclectic mix of handmade ceramics by artists I know or admire, the furniture sourced from gumtree, op shops and the like, even the plants are propagations of cuttings from friends! Of course, it’s an inherently slow process, but I like it. It means everything I bring into the home is considered and cherished. As much as possible things are ethically sourced and tread as lightly on new resources as possible.
At the moment, my favourite part of the house is the dining room. Classic bentwoods from a restaurant closure, a teak dining table from gumtree, matching buffet also from gumtree, a mix of handmade ceramics on the shelves and bowls always spilling with fresh fruit and veg. My household loves to host, which is probably why the dining room was first to be furnished. The walls are looking a little bare though, so, onto that next.
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I start my day with …
Coffee. Either I brew filter coffee at home to drink with a book on the balcony or I walk down to the local cafe to catch up with a friend. It’s the one thing I always seem to make time for. Oh, and 2020 brought me a new morning routine which is a set of physio rehab exercises, which I’ve actually been doing. Welcome to adulthood! I have a labral tear in my hip which is a bit of a process to heal, so I often roll out of bed and onto my massage ball to relieve pain and then I do my exercises. Of course, there are the days when I promise myself I’ll do them later, grab a coffee on the go and race to work. We’re all human.
My workspace looks like …
It’s different every day. I work as a designer for a boutique interiors studio four days a week and freelance part-time as a ceramicist. I am obsessed with the brass detailing, the geometric arches and the reeded glazing framed by warm timber work in my Art Deco office. Fridays are my pottery day! My studio is a shared renovated warehouse in Botany called Claypool. A big family of artists works out of here; it’s such a brilliant way to share resources, equipment and ideas. It’s a huge evolution from the days when I used to throw pots in my spare room. I love the community, the intention of travelling to a workspace and always being able to ask someone a question or answer someone else’s. I aspire for all my workspaces to conjure inspiration and to be able to handle the mess of living a creative lifestyle.
On work/life balance …
I think I’m pretty lucky in the sense that both my jobs satisfy my need to be creative, so I find my work very fulfilling. I think the trick here is that I turned one of my passions into a job, but it isn’t my full-time job. I definitely have to make sure I restrict the time I spend thinking about or working on pottery, the way that non-freelance jobs generally have a structure. Being able to mentally leave a job at the end of the day and have dedicated leisure time feels crucial to nailing that balance. Outside of work I like to be pretty busy. I scatter a few catchups with friends through the week, touch base with a few hobbies and try to ground myself with “me-time” things like cooking or painting. The one thing I would like to make more time for at the moment would be making ceramics just for the joy of it — I miss that.
On ambition …
My goals are usually based around self-development or growth. I have never really been someone who plans out my future. My career path has been an intuitive process. I studied architecture first and then went on to study illustration and graphic design because I was hungry for a little more creative freedom. Then I met my boss who thought the mix of the two backgrounds worked for her practice and that’s how I found myself in interior design. I am sentimental enough that I view milestones such as creating ceramics for cafes or businesses that I love as “making it”. But I don’t have an overall vision or goal for my life. I think I am ambitious in the sense that I keep trying to do the best at what I am doing and improve as I go, trusting that it will lead to the next exciting step. For as long as I feel hungry to fulfil short-term goals and am mindfully present of the milestones, I am happy. But I generally like that my future reads “TBC”.
On collaboration …
I collaborate daily in my job with my boss, the client and the craftspeople we work with. The outcomes we create are always a collaboration of ideas, skills and expertise. It makes the design process and the outcome all the better if the best person for the job lends their skills to a task. For example, our studio can dream up an idea sparked by an intention set by a client, then we find the right person to make it happen. They’ll often tell us based on their experience the best way to achieve it and that’s where collaboration is key to good design.
Collaboration in ceramics is also so exciting! I have worked with cafes and coffee roasters to create products that elevate the thing they are passionate about serving. I have also loved working with plant stylists to make pieces that celebrate their greenery. I have just started my first collaboration with another maker who specialises in another medium that we will work on in the new year. You should have seen us discussing the project — the excitement and creative juices flowing, the possibilities that open up when someone’s bringing their skill set and ideas to the table.
On success …
As I mentioned before, I’m quite a sentimental person. I have seen my greatest successes in the simple act of working with or getting recognition from people I care about. The joy of someone telling me they love their mug and use it every day is success to me; I still pinch myself. It took me a very long time to stop feeling like people were buying pieces from me as a “favour” to support me. Now not only have I met new people through selling ceramics to them, but there are pieces of my work in homes of people I’ve never met! But it took getting over those initial uncertainties for me to realise that success is going to a friend’s place and seeing my ceramics in their dish rack or receiving photos of my cups as part of their morning coffee routines. Nothing really beats that.
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On travelling …
The idea of setting off on a trip right now makes my skin tingle. I’ve definitely got the traveller’s itch. In the past I’ve been lucky enough to take large chunks of time off and travel for three to six months. I love it because I grow so much in that time and I’m addicted to that feeling of being “lost”. It brings out a new level of confidence in me. I somehow become surer of who I am, and at the same time I’m constantly pushing boundaries and battling those giddy feelings of being outside of my comfort zone. When I think about travelling my mind is flooded with beautiful memories of the French countryside, jungles in Borneo and swimming with whales in Tonga. But the aspect of travel I treasure the most is the woman that comes home after it.
I taught myself how to paint on a road trip through Europe simply by always carrying a sketchbook and palette with me. The change and improvement I saw after painting every odd day for six months is amazing to reflect back on. Last year I turned up on Caye Caulker in Belize and felt conflicted about one of the main tourist attractions there. I ended up walking the whole island arguing with local business owners until I found the one tour guide who didn’t feed the sharks for tourists. It was an experience that really distilled some of my own values and ethics and I brought all these lessons and observations about myself home with me. Now, I’m still painting regularly and I’m a free diver that participates in fortnightly ocean clean-ups and marine life conservation efforts.
What I do to blow off steam …
Get in the ocean. Whether it’s for a quick dip or a full day out on a dive boat. I’ve always been an ocean lover and have been a scuba diver for about eight years. This year I discovered freediving and now it’s taken over my life. I did my certification in January after years of wanting to expand my experience in the water and increase my interactions with marine life. I have spent the majority of my weekends this year diving with a group of friends, exploring the underwater geography and swimming with sharks, turtles, dolphins and whales. It is a remedy for everything. Not only is diving to the ocean floor on a single breath an exhilarating sensation, but the meditation it requires forces me to let go of everything else and just focus on my body and the water.
My night-time ritual …
My night-time routine changed a lot this year after coming out of a long-term relationship and learning to fall asleep in my own bed. That was tough to start with. I would say there’s no real ritual for me when it comes to going to sleep. If anything, it starts with waking up in the morning and making my bed. I’ve had a lot of trouble this year with my injury affecting my ability to sleep at night, so there’s been a lot of adjusting my night-time routines. Maybe I’ll put a good night’s sleep down to mental health first and foremost and next is a really great set of sheets.
Where to find me …
@cass.handmade on Instagram
