Meet the Maker: Kerryn Levy

Photo Credit - Tash McCammon

We first fell in love with Kerryn Levy's organic forms and earthy textures on social media; Then we read her bio and realised the love behind her craft was just as beautiful as the products she creates. Her ceramics are like nothing we've ever seen (and trust us... we search for #ceramics on Instagram way too much) - and we just had to have her on the Mrkt. Now that they are sitting pretty in our office, waiting to find an equally loving home, we can't stop staring at them from all angles. Needless to say, we had to understand how these vessels are made, what that beautifully rough texture is made from, and how each piece is different yet fits so perfectly with the rest of the collection. Read up on our chat below -

Photo Credit - Tash McCammon

Tell us a bit about how you found your way towards pottery. How did you get into it, and what were your first pieces?

I fell in love with clay at Uni the first time I was shown how to use a pottery wheel. I was really excited by the speed with which an object could be made on the wheel, and the fact that I could mold and shape the clay into a functional object using just my hands, the wheel and a few basic tools. By the time I started learning the various firing processes and was introduced to the seemingly endless possibilties of glaze-making, I was completely hooked.  

In the beginning I just made simple, functional wheel-thrown objects, but soon started experimenting with illustration and various hand-building techniques. When I started my associateship at the JamFactory I began to focus more on, and develop my hand-building skills and making more sculptural pieces. I enjoy the slow, meditative and considered nature of this making method and I love the way my fingerprints and marks create a unique pattern in each piece.

Most ceramics off the shelves are made from smooth clay or delicate porcelain. Your vessels however, are made from coloured, textured stoneware. What is this material, and why did you choose it? 

I use various Australian hand-building clays that are mixed with grog and fine sand, making it stronger and easier to work with and giving it a lovely speckled, textured surface. The clays I choose reflect the colours I love and identify with the Australian Landscape - deep reds, browns and ochres. I have recently started using a very soft charcoal/black glaze that reminds of me of burned bark or the remnants of a campfire. However, I often leave the surface completely unglazed on the exterior of the vessels because the natural colour of the clay is exactly right and couldn’t be bettered by any glaze I could create. I often fire them in a reduction atmosphere to enhance and enrich the natural colours of the clay.   

Photo Credit - Tash McCammon

Your current collection is called ‘Naked Clay Asymmetry’, each piece finds its place complimenting another, creating harmony in irregularity. Can you tell us a bit behind the thought of this?

This collection developed very gradually and still continues to change in shape and concept. I guess it started when I was photographing my Naked Clay Vases at the beginning of last year - the shapes were quite simple at the time but I noticed that many of the curves in the vases complemented each other and seemed to continue from one vessel onto another, creating a beautiful, linear landscape. I wondered if I could be a little more intentional in the way I made each piece and tried to create shapes that kind of… cradled each other and spoke to one another. Then for SALA last year, my fellow JamFactory ceramics associates and I had a small exhibition called ‘Pretty, Useless’ where we made objects that were not intended for functional use. Removing the need for function from the design process opened up a whole new world of possibilities for shapes that I had never really considered before. This year I have really challenged myself to make pieces that are intended to stay in pairs or specific groupings, that ‘fit’ together and complement each other, but also make you notice the shapes that emerge in the space between them.

‘Bringing people together through the shared sense of appreciation for clay’ is the main purpose in your craft. In what way do you feel objects can connect people and how does it inspire you for future designs?

The thing I love most about clay is its tactility, and the fact that each object I make contains visible traces of the making process, and of my touch. My family moved a lot as I was growing up and I have travelled and lived overseas on various occasions, which means I have family and friends spread out across the globe. I love the fact that I can leave a bowl with my Granny in Ireland or a mug with my friend in Canada, and every time they use those objects they are connected to me, and their hands touch and hold something that was shaped and held by my hands. I think it’s really special to give someone a hand-made ceramic object because it is completely unique and each time it is used, or looked at, the user is reminded of its maker and of the person who gifted it to them – who picked it up, touched it, and thought it felt just right in their hands. I love thinking of those small but significant moments of connection.

Speaking of – do you have an idea of where you are going when you start playing around with the clay? Or do you just follow the natural movement and see what comes out in the end?

A bit of both! My making process is very intuitive so the first piece I make will pretty much be a surprise to me at the end. I do seem to follow certain patterns subconsciously though, I’m drawn to particular kinds of curves and bumps that are reminiscent of the human/animal body, but also of botanical forms – that combination makes them slightly uncomfortable to look at times, but I like that. The second piece will be more planned, I will sketch a few options that fit with the shape of the first piece, but this one too will often end up straying from the original plan as I am making it and will continuously direction. They have a life of their own!

Photo Credit - Tash McCammon

Your craft is very hands-on, what do you watch on Netflix when you want to switch off after a long day at work? Or are you more team bookworm? Any recommendations?

I am actually more of a podcast gal! My favourite podcasts at the moment are ‘On Being,’ ‘My Favourite Murder’ and ‘This American Life’. Although I do also love watching Netflix in the evenings. I’ve been watching the new season of ‘Chef’s Table’, I love seeing the passion and creativity that’s involved in the world of food. As for reading, I usually have two or three books on the go so that I can choose one depending on my mood. One I really enjoyed recently is called ‘Rain’ by Cynthia Barnett, it’s a really beautiful look at the natural and cultural history of rain. 

Pottery classes can be on the expensive side, especially if you don’t know if you’re more interested in wheel-throwing or, like yourself, hand building. For someone who would like to pick up a new hobby – do you have any tips on how to best get started?

I would recommend buying some clay from your local pottery supplier and having a bit of a play at home to start with. If you're enjoying the feeling of molding the clay in your hands – pinching, coiling, smoothing and shaping, then maybe you could take a couple of workshops or classes to learn the basics of hand-building and then continue practicing at home. If you are getting frustrated with how slow and seemingly imperfect the hand-building process seems to be, then maybe you could try your hand at wheel-throwing. It’s probably cheaper to take some classes than to look at buying a wheel and kiln yourself though, and you will benefit more from a hands-on teaching approach than trying to learn from books or online tutorials, at least to begin with.

Photo Credit - Tash McCammon

Do you have a vision of where you would like to take your ceramics in the future? You’re designing beautiful vessels and kitchen objects now, do you have plans to explore different objects in the future?

Nope, no specific plans for what I want to make in the future. I'm quite happy continuing to develop the collections I have, maybe working on larger forms or more complex shapes, maybe try and figure out a way to incorporate illustration into my practice again. I think a common challenge among artists is knowing how to achieve a balance that allows you to keep exploring and discovering, and your work to keep changing and growing, while maintaining a degree of integrity and consistency. I think for me it’s best not to make too many solid plans and just see where my practice takes me. I am going to be doing a residency in Shiro Oni in Japan this year, so I’m excited to see how my work grows and develops throughout that time.

Browse Kerryn's ceramics here.

Photo Credit - Tash McCammon