The Making | Anniespotteries
Why do you make things?
I like the idea of creating things and working with my hands. I’m not someone who can sit still, I need to be learning and growing constantly. Always searching for the next best thing, and I think my work reflects that as well.
What is your general process for creating ceramics?
I am motivated when I need something. I needed a bowl and I was making bowls for days. I break a mug and I am learning how to make different handles for mugs. I needed matching plates, well you get the picture.
Is this a hobby, a business, a calling?
This was a hobby that took over my space.
Pottery began as a hobby; another creative outlet outside of work. Very quickly it took over. I never envisioned my hobby would grow into a small business.
How did the creation of this collection differ from previous making?
As with everything else this year, very different from what I would call “normal”. Never before would I have imagined setting up a wheel in my living room. Working from home, not having to rush back to the studio each day to throw or check, I got to spend more time with every one of my pieces since everything is now just a few feet away in my little one bedroom apartment.
Were the final results of the Raku different from your expectations?
One thing that I learned the hard way early on is that you can't fall in love with any piece until it is safely home. Pottery is very volatile by nature; but, Raku is a whole other experience when it comes to the firing process. I was expecting a lot of pieces to break when taking stuff out of the kiln and I was hoping that some of the colors would have been brighter but with something as uncontrollable as Raku, I am truly happy with the outcome.
What did you learn from the process? What did you love? What are you proud of?
Raku literally translates to “happiness in the accident” and I love how true this is. I love how much Raku challenges you mentally and physically. Physically, the smoke, the heat and the very environment that we put ourselves in to fire the pieces. Mentally, never knowing exactly what you will get and not getting too let down over this. I’m very proud of how much we all accomplished together as a team, and how many pieces came out.
How do you see your work connecting broader views of culture and the world?
Being aware of discrimination and seeing video after video of people being murdered because of their race was horrific. All my maker friends and myself have been doing fundraisers to support the BLM movement. It is just a small thing we can do as allies.
Who/what inspires you?
I’m inspired by things happening around me, be it things I see at museums and galleries to historical crafting methods for creating textiles. A few of my most used techniques are old pre-computer hand painting methods for creating textiles. For example to make my speckled designs I adapted a method that was used to create textures in old prints.