Ceramics inspired by flowers by Emma Connolly.
Finding inspiration in the garden.
Hello my dear friends and welcome to my first blog post!
I thought I’d share with you today a little behind the scenes of my design process and where and how I find inspiration for my ceramics.
My pottery is mostly of a floral theme and that is mainly down to the fact that I was a florist before I started my career as a ceramicist. I have always been drawn to flowers though, ever since I was a child. My first word (after mum & dad) was flower. I have this deep need to be surrounded by them and I love growing them too!
I gather all my inspiration from my garden. Growing flowers from seed and watching how they grow, bloom and then die back gives me a real understanding of textures in nature.
My garden.
I gather colour inspo from the pinks of my roses and peonies, my wavy edged cups and vases are all inspired by peony petals.
My latest collection came from a love of hydrangeas- one of my favourite blooms. I have switched clay bodies over the last couple of months and I’m now using a lovely white porcelain which enables me to create life-like petals out of clay.
I hand build most of my work as I feel it gives it a lovely textured look and feel. I make my cups and vases by either pinching the pieces into shape which shows delicate marks of the maker. I prefer this way as not only do I think it looks pleasing and natural but also because it makes each piece completely unique!I also like to roll the clay into slabs which I use to make things when I want to add on extra details like flowers or paintings.
I’ve hand painted these slab mugs with spring scenes from the hedgerows, the cosmos I grew from seed.
I hope you’ve enjoyed a little trip around my garden and thought process.As I write this- Christmas is only a month a way yet it feels like I only took these photos yesterday, where has this year gone? (I shall be glad when its over though).
Today I shall be in my studio making mugs and vases for Christmas and I’m finishing off some pieces that are going off to the Herbert Hedley exhibition in Petersfield next week. But first a little yoga to loosen the joints.
Have a good weekend my dear friends,
Emma xx