Heather Humphreys: Potter
Pondering on my journey so far, it's wonderous how the things that bring me joy have blended: the Blockie's daughter covered in mud at irrigation time, the confused Yr12 dropout, the shop assistant, the waitress, the traveller. On to a 2nd attempt at Yr12, and a few years of horticultural research and wine pathology. Then out of the blue, a swan-dive into an Arty-farty Cert IV at TAFE and whoops, full circle back into mud with a BA Ceramics at Latrobe Uni in Bendigo. That was way back in 1992.
Setting out as a practicing potter, I established a studio & gallery in Mildura, near my hometown Merbein. Production runs, commissions, exhibitions, teaching, community projects... ah, it was divine. A few years pass and along comes an interesting partner, a big move to coastal NSW, a child, a mortgage, a ‘real’ teaching job. You know… that sort of thing. By then, the demand for 'hand-crafted' had lost out worldwide, but always on my shoulder was a little bird singing sweet Pottery songs in my ear.
And now? I'm hand-crafting pots in my home studio which, for most of the week, is taken over by creative souls seeking something beyond a muddy dabble. I’m grateful for the depth of knowledge and skill kick-started by my tertiary Ceramic Arts studies and I'm very proud of the honest and enlivening learning experiences I've created for others. The pull to pass on real skills and knowledge and a genuine engagement in the learning space, inspires me to create a space where one can deep-dive into understanding clay, form, design, aesthetics and ergonomics, with a smidge of geology, chemistry and mathematics thrown in for the daredevils.
Welcome to the fascinating world of Pottery!
And now? I'm hand-crafting pots in my home studio which, for most of the week, is taken over by creative souls seeking something beyond a muddy dabble. I’m grateful for the depth of knowledge and skill kick-started by my tertiary Ceramic Arts studies and I'm very proud of the honest and enlivening learning experiences I've created for others. The pull to pass on real skills and knowledge and a genuine engagement in the learning space, inspires me to create a space where one can deep-dive into understanding clay, form, design, aesthetics and ergonomics, with a smidge of geology, chemistry and mathematics thrown in for the daredevils.
Welcome to the fascinating world of Pottery!
