Visit my website www.HelenANaylor.com

Gold Coast Potter Member since 1997

Feb 2006

When did your clay journey start? My introduction was though my
father. He would dig for his own clay to transform into avant garde function ware that would compliment his oil painting and string works. So it was only natural that I would choose plaster-seen as the sculptural medium in my Animated films. Flat and on drawn backgrounds, not in 3D form. This of course was back home in Great Britain.
Playing with clay at school didn't grab me, it seamed drab compared to my clay home life. Actually at school the first thing I made was an Australian rodent. It really wasn't until I had been here on the coast that I really got "into it". That was back in the old building. I really wasn't "loving it" until I met Joan Smith. She talked me into joining the Association and doing the Rick Rudd work shop. We had so much fun. It was then that I think I met raku. Now that is something to "be into". Something that I could not control. Ha ha my white chimney stacks came out the same every time.

How do you prefer to work with clay? I enjoy working with clay on the wheel and by hand. With the wheel I missed the wonky pot stage that really didn't last long under the tuition of Ngaio. So I am quite happy after being bent over on my right side for ever making the perfect pot, when my tool side swipes the thing and knocks it for six demanding a realignment which always makes it wonky. My friends always grab those pots off me as soon as they see them. These are the pots that love going in my raku kiln.

Where do you see your pottery journey taking you?  The lid of my raku kiln has given up on me and needs remaking. So I have been tending to make other types of pieces. I have not quite finished with my Indian imprint plates which everyone loves and I have now perfected on a mixture of terracotta and white earthen ware clays with coffee/mocha under glaze brushed on and suitably removed in the right spots with a heavy dose is clear. So they will keep coming for a little while longer. What was simply using up scrap, drying clay and Dianne's stamps led me to make necklaces for my three secretaries Christmas gifts. This brought encouragements to make more. So I am. Combining them with lots of wire work is what is "grabbing" me at the present. I actually day dream of what I can make in clay that would afford it's self to lots of wire work. I have moved on from fencing wire to jewellery wire. Now I am making my own glass beads to use in with my clay pieces in the necklaces. The earthy dull tones of my clay pieces stand out well against the glossy colourful glass beads. My aim is to find a wearable, androgynous form that allows me to use lots of wire.