FINDING HER WAY WITH CLAY

A South African potter’s journey of discovery

By Catherine Gargan

“There is a paradigm when learning –it is always a dangerous thing to do! When you learn wonderful things you have to learn the good and the bad together – this is the paradigm.” (Takeshi Yasuda, 1998)

Catherine Brennon’s journey with clay has moulded her into the person she is today. And it has not been an easy path. In fact, it is only in recent years that she has found herself free to explore who she really is… both her limitations and her potential.

A South African-born potter, Catherine started her journey with clay by completing a three-year ceramic diploma, with its roots in the Anglo-Oriental tradition. At 23, she opened her first studio, where she taught evening classes. After a while, she found herself battling with a growing sense of isolation and disillusionment, not sure of where or what it was she wanted to be.

Several years down the line, while working in the IT industry in Hertfordshire, England, Catherine found herself at a cross road. It was time to re-think what she really wanted to do with the rest her life. With this, came what was to be her biggest and most momentous decision… it was time to return to South Africa and bring clay back into her life.

Determined to connect with the ceramic community again, Catherine attended a workshop with Takeshi Yasuda in Tuscany, Italy. It was during this time that she confirmed what she had always felt… that for her, working with clay is about connecting with people. Yasuda affirmed her belief that one’s work must be rooted in passion. It was also during this period that she realised that in order to sustain her enthusiasm, she had to make pots that she loved, rather than produce work in line with perceived market needs.

This brought back the memory of the first time she really connected with someone through clay. As a student, Catherine had initially wanted to pursue a career in graphic design. Part of her studies included a six-week program in ceramics during which time she produced an unglazed (reduction-fired) “doll” with a sacking body that was displayed as part of a student exhibition. Unexpectedly, a journalist working for a local newspaper bought the ‘doll’. She was so taken by it, that she published a letter, addressed to Catherine, in her regular art column. As a result of this positive response Catherine decided to switch her studies to ceramics.

“Don’t always take the safe route. Take a risk and see how you could express yourself differently. It’s all about handling clay and getting in touch with it as an expressive medium.” These words from Yasuda came at a welcome time for Catherine, who – remembering that “doll” – was becoming more and more convinced that clay can be anything you want it to be, a language through which to move people.

Through exposing herself to more courses, exhibitions and the work of other artists, her confidence was renewed. (She has continued to make time to join various ceramic study tours to the UK, China, and locally to Zululand.) Within three months of returning to South Africa, Catherine set up a studio in her home. Despite her being slightly apprehensive, the classes filled up within weeks and she is still teaching regularly today. With her passion for clay re-kindled, Catherine initially found herself caught up with experimenting in various techniques and forms – frantically trying to catch up on the latest developments in ceramics.

In addition, Catherine has spent the past two years converting her 3 year Ceramics Diploma into a B.Tech Ceramics degree at the Witwatersrand Technikon. This has helped her to focus more intensely on her work – to take it to full conclusion rather than move on to other things when problems arise. In addition it has entailed battling with various technical, conceptual and design issues head on, forcing her to go deeper in her investigations.

One of the concepts she’s been exploring is that of the textures in lace and woven baskets – and translating these into her work with clay. She began by looking at how other artists had expressed these qualities in clay throughout the ages – including industrial interpretation and contemporary crafts and fine art. She then started lifting textures off different surfaces and incorporating them into her vessels by way of roulettes, a small extruder or plaster impressions. Two distinct groups of work have emerged – one lace based, the other basket related - each piece building on the one before.

The lace work is distinctively more “pretty” and feminine. Pale turquoise glazes have been employed over a white earthenware body rubbed with copper, cobalt or manganese oxide. There is lightness and playfulness at times with buttons and other references to clothing appearing on the forms.

The basket forms, on the other hand, are more sober and serious by comparison. Meticulously constructed and designed, the current bowls are thin and delicate in structure. Typically they have a woven basket impression in the centre, defined by a small raised coil, echoed by a low foot on the underside. The sides flare out from the centre and are rippled and organic in structure while the edges are irregular but defined. The warm, muted stoneware glazes relate well to basketry while reflecting and emphasizing the textured surfaces. The strong contrast between the rippled sides of the bowl and the structured representation of the basketwork at the centre makes the work dynamic and exciting. The form appears to be both formal and yet free; structured yet organic. On the one hand it is reminiscent of a basket; on the other, of the unfurling petals of a giant poppy. The tension between the organic and structured is what makes these successful and it is this element that Catherine is striving to recreate in subsequent pieces for this series.

In a further development, Catherine has taken this bowl to another level by conceptualising the form to produce a series of bowls, reminiscent of the originals by means of on-glaze enamel transfers. The transfers have been produced from her ink drawings of the surfaces, and have been applied to a basic bowl form, which she has personally designed, and slip caste. They are a graphic interpretations of the textures found in her hand built bowls and form an interesting dimension to her handwork. Whereas the original bowls were not really suitable for eating from, the new bowls are more appropriate for every-day use.

All of Catherine’s work has a distinct African feeling to it – proof that one’s environment has a strong effect on what you produce. In the same way, her relationship with her husband Lawrance - a panoramic landscape photographer, has played an integral role in the nature of her work. Both being creative people, they encourage rather than compete with one another, which has become an important dynamic in their relationship. At this point in her life, Catherine has realised the importance of staying connected and not isolating herself from other people, places and experiences. She believes one needs to look deeper into one’s surrounding environment for inspiration.

“I liken learning through clay to learning a language”, she says. “You start by learning the alphabet and progress onto stringing simple words together. The larger your vocabulary and the more you practice it, the more articulate you become” and so it becomes easier to say what you want to through clay. Something Catherine tries to pass on to her students, is the need to “give yourself permission to make what you want” and to find what it is you want to say through clay.

“Find out what you really want to do and say and then give it everything you have. It doesn’t matter how old you are – but just do it. Surround yourself with positive, enthusiastic people who are willing to nurture and encourage you if you can. But just do it. It’s the journey- not the destination that matters so much.”

TECHNICAL NOTES:

Most of Catherine’s ‘lace’ work is hand-built from white earthenware clay. Simple lead-based glazes with additions of oxides and stains are employed over washes of cobalt, manganese or copper oxide (to emphasise the textures) before firing to 1080c in oxidation. The ‘basket’ work is made from white stoneware clay, washed with manganese or iron oxide. Up to 3 different felspatic glazes (personally developed) are sprayed in layers onto the final pieces before being fired to Cone 6 (1220c) in an oxidation environment.