Laura Lizbeth
INSPIRED TO CREATE
Deep in the misty wild forest lie beds of mossy carpets and curtains of trailing vines.
Between the twisting branches and feathery leaves, the tinkling of opening petals and the drums of the tree stumps...
THIS IS WHERE I FIND INSPIRATION TO CREATE
Does that set the scene right? Clearly I am no novelist, instead I express myself through my craft.
My love for good food and presentation encouraged me to learn Pottery. Everything is more appealing when it is well presented. Food tastes better in a handcrafted bowl and the enjoyment of that first hot coffee in the morning in my favourite mug inspires me to make ceramics that bring joy into everyday life.
My design concept is to make vessels that when you see it, you want to touch it, and when you hold it in your hands it feels like you have a little piece of personality from the woodlands with mystery and elegance.
I have developed an array of vases, tableware and decorative pieces. Some relate to whimsical flower buds and precious leaf stuctures while others exhibit a minature landscape that brings the charisma of the forest into your home.
Learning the Craft
I started my Ceramic Apprentership in Berlin 2017 with Felix Reinhard Mields. For three years I learnt from him the skills on the potters wheel and the unique technique of craquelé glazing that involves a third firing to reveal the beautiful glaze structure. It is quite a delicate process, involving an in depth understanding about the glaze, the clay body and the time dependant condition of each peice to get the desired effect.
I learnt a lot from Felix and also had the space to explore my own understanding of what makes a good form in regards to aestetic and practical use.
Since I started working with clay it became clear that this is a craft that I can really imerse myself into.
I finished my apprentership in 2020 with my final piece consisting of a row of 15 vases under the name "Aus die Erde und wieder Züruck" that express my interpretation of nurture and growth.
It recieved 1st Prize in ´Die Gute Form´ 2020 awarded by the Handwerkskammer in Germany.
The following year was mostly spent designing and building a market stand with my Husband Norbert.
At the end of 2021 we started our ceramic tour at markets. Our vision is to travel around to markets with our pop-up exhibition space. We want to capture a whysical, wholesome, elegant, peacefull, mossy, ..hmm what other words can i fit in? A space that feels like it's growing and alive, just like the forest.
The Studio - Berlin
Künsterhof Blankenfelde
Located in the Northern outskirts of Berlin, you will find a quaint little artist hub where Felix R. Mields set up his own Ceramic workshop and glazing laboratory in the 1980´s. He collected and restored old workshop machines, built his own kiln and developed a unique clay recipe which we prepare directly in the studio. His speciality is the fine craquele glaze technique that he uses on wheel thrown pottery.
Here I completed my apprenticeship and continue to work alongside Felix while I set up my own studio in Annenwalde in the Ückermark.
Over the years the Kunsthof in Blankenfelde has become a welcoming gathering point for people of all ages who enjoy the art of ceramics. It is possible to take a variety of workshops including ceramics, painting, drawing, wood carving and stone sculpturing offered by the Family Mields. You can read more about the Künsterhof on the following links.
Creating is Life
I am not only interested in ceramics... that would be a bit one sided and I enjoy (need) variation to keep the inspiration flowing. I love to draw and paint and materials like wool, wood, metal and minerals capture my attention. These are materials I would like to incorperate in my work, especcially in combination with ceramics. So, lots to learn and explore!
Before I studied ceramics I performed facepainting and body art which I still love to do when my hands are not full of earth. Usually I paint at markets and birthday parties with the ocassional pregnant belly painting.
I also competed in European and World Body Painting competitions, which was a great challenge and a very rewarding experience.
You can check out my painting on the BODY ART page.
