Birds of Clay Podcast

In our final episode, we’re feeling all the things—grateful, exhausted, and still buzzing with excitement. We catch up on life, reflect on where we draw inspiration, and dive into the differences between mentors and teachers. Plus, we take a joyful look at Glenn Barkley’s Ceramics: An Atlas of Forms —not so much a review, more a celebration. Thanks for sticking with us this season. See you soon fo...

Today we chat with our new friend and local maker Sarah Hotchin. Sarah is a true artist with creativity at her core. She is currently working as a graphic designer while also creating with clay. We speak to her about living in Istanbul where she learnt the skill of hand building and the importance of sharing a meal. She also speaks about being part of a studio in San Francisco and how it feels com...

In this episode, we chat with Kirsti Falconer, a ceramic artist based on Yuggera country in the Lockyer Valley. Kirsti shares how her background in painting, gallery curation, teaching, and community organising informs her ceramic practice. We explore her creative evolution, the role of place and community in her work, and celebrate her recent First Class Honours and University Medal from the Univ...

Rora and Jane catch up for a relaxed cuppa and chat. We discuss a few updates in our lives and delve into some recent discussions that piqued our interest that have been happening on Instagram. Jane also has just read Clay: A Human History by Jennifer Lucy Allen and shares some great stories from it. As always we'd love to hear from you!  Talk to us via email birdsofclaypodcast@gmail.com or D...

We have a special episode today – a live recording of the launch for Issue 641 of the The Journal of Australian Ceramics (JAC), Adelaide on Kaurna Land, 3 May 2025 (election day!).  The afternoon launch event included a visit to the  APY Studio Adelaide, including meeting some of the Blak Manta artists featured in JAC issue 641. Then we headed to Es Ceramics studio visit to see a throwing demonstr...

In this episode, we sit down with celebrated Brisbane-based ceramic artist Clairy Laurence, whose bold, expressive sculptures elicit dreams, fairytales, and the surreal. Known for her richly detailed figures and distinctive visual language, Clairy shares the story behind her artistic evolution—from early apprenticeship days to her full-time practice, and her deep roots in Brisbane’s creative commu...

We head down to Meanjin (Brisbane) to visit the amazing Laura Pascoe at Vacant Assembly, a hybrid arts working space in the vibrant and changing suburb of West End. Laura embraces a sensitive approach to her making, drawing on the Australian landscape. She also has a passion for holding space for others to create and exhibit. Our rich chat covers many topics including the intersection of architect...

Rora and Jane finally get the chance to sit down and catch up.  The beginning of 2025 has been a little rocky and both of our lives seem to be dominated by lots of teaching. So teaching? What role does it play in our practice? What about balance? How do we teach? What do we teach and when do we teach? It's a rambling ride of a chat but hope you get something from it. If you have feedback, ide...

Today we chat with the multi-talented Larissa Warren. We delve into hearing all about her recent commission at HOTA, what it's like being a regional artist, and how she lives a creative life. Larissa also shares her passion for research - examining clay, people and history and speaks about her curation of an upcoming national touring exhibition. We are so grateful for this chat and are taking...

This episode we're speaking with Ipswich ceramic artist, Isis Reading. Using very few tools other than her hands, Isis creates uniquely figurative functional and sculptural ceramics, thoughtfully finished with an array of hand-made glazes. We discuss how Isis uses her creative practice to support her family, how she maintains a positive outlook and how she has cultivated a creative, slow, lov...

Today we chat with Ruby Yeh! We discuss Ruby's experience growing up as Taiwanese Australian and the pressure she has felt around achieving.  We also delve into art prizes, chat about dealing with self doubt, and hear about Ruby's adventures.  (Sorry for the background noise - it's hard to find a quiet place in the big city!)   Ruby Yu-Lu Yeh is a Taiwanese-Australian ceramic artist...

Welcome to 2025 and our second season! In this episode we're having a cuppa and catching up. Chatting about the busy end of 2024, current projects, and goals and expectations of 2025. We have some wonderful interviews coming up that we're very excited for and fingers crossed a wonderful new way to support the podcast through Patreon coming soon. Thanks for supporting us, we're so ex...

Welcome to Clay Connections, our short side series. In this episode we are chatting with the wonderful Holly Macdonald. At the time of recording, Holly was undertaking a residency at the Scottish Sculpture Workshop https://www.ssw.org.uk/ .  We chatted about this experience, working with clay through performance, community practice and the ups and downs of living a creative life. A wonderful inspi...

Welcome to Clay Connections, our short side series. Today we chat with the very talented Samuel Leighton-Dore. Sam is a screenwriter, director and interdisciplinary visual artist based on the Gold Coast, Queensland, living and working on the lands of the Kombumerri families from Yugambeh Language Region.   Sam's calmness, warm nature and humour shine through while we chat about vulnerability,...

Welcome to Clay Connections, our short side series. It's our first international chat! Today, Jane is speaking with Eva Masterman from Newcastle, England.  Eva Masterman is an artist and educator working with clay for over 16 years, in both sculpture and collaborative participation. She is the founder of The Clay Commons, a developing organisation and podcast that explores clay as an agent fo...

Welcome to Clay Connections, our short side series. Today Jane visits Monte Lupo; an amazing clay studio and cafe that provide employment opportunities for artists living with a disability. https://www.montelupoarts.org.au/ https://www.instagram.com/montelupoarts/ -------------------------------------------------------- Talk to us via email birdsofclaypodcast@gmail.com or DM @birdsofclay_podcast ....

Welcome to our short side series — Clay Connections! In a new series of the podcast, we are focusing on wellbeing, community and creativity. We believe in the power of creativity to heal and bring people together. In this first episode we talk about our own journeys with mental health, when clay becomes work, process vs outcome, imposter syndrome, teaching, community and boundaries. If you or some...

This week we were joined by Rachel North, an educator and multi-disciplinary artist working on Yuggera Ugarapul Country. Rachel's work explores the complex connections between landscape and memory. Using ceramics, painting and textiles to communicate her conceptual ideas, Rachel tells us how her practice has evolved over time to cross creative disciplines and deepen her understanding of how p...

Today we had the privilege to talk to Nathanlie Marie. Nathanlie (aka Lily) is at the early stages of building a career in clay. It was wonderful to hear her deep passion for the material and be reminded of that obsession we both started with. Nathanlie Marie is a Filipino artist currently based in Australia. Informed by her lived experience, she works with ceramics and sculpture to investigate th...

This episode we chat about our personal glaze journeys, where we are in our glaze educations and where we want to be. We discuss how we use glaze in our creative practices and our introductions into using commercially made glazes and how we began experimenting with raw materials to make our own.  The best way for us to reach new listeners is through word of mouth so if you like our podcast please...

Today Jane chats with artist, educator, academic and community worker, David Usher. We chat about David's rich history in the arts in Brisbane and Toowoomba, his research into the 'Spook' and the importance of community.  Please check out David's instagram as it really brings this chat to life with artworks and photos: a real archive of a creative life! https://www.instagram.co...

In the episode today we are reflecting (gushing) about the week we have just had in North West NSW at Clay Gulgong. Clay Gulgong is a week long biennial event, globally recognised for its strong links with the field of ceramics. It is run by Mansfield Ceramics and brings an amazing group of national and international artists to the beautiful town of Gulgong. https://www.mansfieldceramics.com/clay-...

Today Rora and Jane discuss putting their work into the world. When do you do it? Where do you do it?  How do you do it? Deep dives into markets, galleries, art prizes and more.  Have something to add or a question? Talk to us via email birdsofclaypodcast@gmail.com or Instagram @birdsofclay_podcast. Find us on Instagram Rora @aurora_elwell Jane @jane.orme.pottery

In this episode we have the privilege to speak to two amazing artists - Shannon Garson & Sarah Rayner! Both women live and work on beautiful Jinibara Country (Maleny and surrounds) in Regional Queensland (in the background you can hear the local birds squawking/chirping and leaves rustling.) It's a long rich chat. We cover so many great topics - clay origin stories,  working from a home s...

Today we are at Rora's place and we are taking a deep dive into Kilns! Rora has a Gas Kiln and Jane has an Electric Kiln, we both got them second hand and have had our challenges. We are no experts, just sharing what we have learnt along the way.  Have something to add or a question? Talk to us via email birdsofclaypodcast@gmail.com or Instagram @birdsofclay_podcast. Find us on Instagram Rora...