Join us for this 25 minute conversation with the lovely Anne Mette Hjortshøj, part 1 of 3. She talks about the benefits of living and working on the potter’s island of Bornholm in Denmark, a visit from the Queen, and the joys of being able to discover and use local clays and glaze materials in her work. She discusses how she chooses pots for a gallery show while maintaining artistic integrity and remaining focussed on making pots only for herself. She speaks of her lifelong love of Korean ceramics and her visits to the Mungyeong Teabowl Festival. And finally, she relates the joys of working with other potters, how to be a teacher, how to be a student, the importance of firing test pieces and, most importantly, never to judge pots when first opening the kiln. Enjoy!
Fire, Wood and Clay: What’s in an Aesthetic?
There can be no denying it: there’s something about wood-firing that produces special pots. But what is it about the wood-fired aesthetic (if there even is one) that captivates? Where does our appreciation for it begin? And, perhaps most important of all: is it still relevant today? Is the wood-fired aesthetic right for our age? … Read more
