The creation of a pot…

A piece of Emily Laszuk pottery will have been handmade from start to finish. From wedging the clay, weighing it, throwing the pot and then turning it.

A handle may be attached at this point or a spout or lip.

Then wiping it over, drawing on the design and painting it on freehand.

The pot is then fired in a bisque firing to around 800 degrees Celsius.

I then glaze the work, mixing my own glazes from bulk minerals.

The glaze firing approaches white heat, 1280 degrees Celsius.

The next day I open the kiln, and only then can I see the results of my labour.

And if it is a lustre pot, add another three firing cycles and a massive chance of failure into the mix, along with the use of precious materials in the glazes….

A life in clay

I grew up with a close, artistic family. I had an unusual childhood as we travelled through Europe and Asia.

Choosing to have a career in art was seen as a valid choice, for which I am very grateful.

I went to the Sydney College of the Arts in 1981 and found my home in the Ceramics Department.

After graduating, I built my first studio, a process repeated over a number of farms from Millthorpe to outside Orange and Bathurst. My current studio is on our cattle farm near Cobargo on the far south coast. The soft countryside and vibrant local community is a wonderful creative environment in which to work.

For many years I worked as a production potter, wholesaling to numerous galleries and honing my skills. I first sat at the potters wheel at 16, more than 40 years later, it is as natural a part of my life as breathing.

I still get a thrill when I enter my studio or open a kiln. I always have ideas I want to chase up and thoughts for the next direction.

Its been a wonderful journey so far….

Technical

I have been using Walkers 10, porcelaineous stoneware, for most of my career. I love its purity and smoothness which is like skin.

I have a Venco wheel and a deairing pug mill.

I made my kilns, which are gas-fired fibre kilns.
I make my glazes, with some recipes I have inherited from other potters, and some I have developed myself.

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A piece of Emily Laszuk pottery will have been handmade from start to finish. From wedging the clay, weighing it, throwing the pot, turning it.

A handle may be attached at this point or a spout or lip.

Then wiping it over, drawing on the design and painting it on freehand.

The pot is then fired in a bisque firing to around 800 degrees celcius.

I then glaze the work, mixing my own glazes from bulk minerals.

The glaze firing approaches white heat, 1280 degrees celcius.

The next day I open the kiln, and only then can I see the results of my labour.