Series of Ceramics by Lisa Hammond
Once the week has started I’m always eager for Tuesday evening to come around, as this is when we get the opportunity to get a little creative ourselves and experiment in the studio of a local potter. What better way to prepare for this than a return visit to Lisa Hammond, an English potter who has taken on the Japanese techniques of Shino where the aim is to utilise the carbon in the glazes to create a rustic texture. Many of you really enjoyed her documentary so I felt a return to the blog was due with Goldmark recently updating their shop with a handful of items. In many respects these creations have a mind of their own and although Lisa is very knowledgable about the process of working this way, there’s a great deal of spontaneity involved.
I’d never like to use the term Wabi-Sabi to bracket a particular style, because I don’t think this is it’s intended definition, however her works are very much centred around this appreciation of the imperfection, she isn’t afraid of letting the kiln decide the decor. I felt that David whiting best described her work when he said “each pot has a life of its own, its own sense of renewal. They all offer their own pleasures, an intimacy that adds another dimension to the way we eat and drink, to the ceremonies of the everyday, to the space we occupy. In short, to the way we live our lives”.
For a long time I’ve been fascinated by the idea of reducing the necessary items in my life and putting emphasis and more significance on the objects I do own. When you surround yourself with everyday items like Lisa has created you appreciate the time and energy that has gone into creating that one object, in essence it has part of the maker within it. Not only in mark but in ethic also. Just from browsing over this series you can see that Lisa is an individual that is passionate about finding an alternative, a new way in which she can express herself, and within Japanese techniques she has been able to create great beauty and poise.
If you didn’t catch Lisa’s film before and would like to see how a handful of these items were put together I’d recommend taking a visit back into our archive. In the meantime if you’re interested in purchasing any on these they are all currently available in the Goldmark online shop. It shouldn’t be too long before we see a selection of pottery and ceramics in our own shop so keep your eyes peeled for that, but for now gaze your eyes down the page and enjoy!