Aimée McLeod, Potter

My obsession with pottery started in the ’70s when we lived in Japan. However, it wasn’t until the late ‘80s, after 16 years of moving and child rearing, that I was able to concentrate on my own work.

I graduated from the 2 year Certificate of Craft Design course at Whitireia Polytech, Porirua, in 1988 and since then have been working with clay.

We returned to Tokyo in 1991 for 4 years where I continued to make pots in an apartment setting (quite challenging!) selling through a few local shops and some exhibitions.

Back in Wellington in ’95 I worked at “Winspears” for a year and joined The Potters’ Shop co-op in Woodward St.  Since 1996 I’ve been working from home and in June that year, five of us opened the “Bake House Gallery”, a mixed media craft/ gift shop.

Both these co-ops have since closed down.

In 2004, I completed a 4yr. part-time Diploma of Art (Ceramics) by “distance mode” through Australia National University, Canberra, concentrating on hand built pieces at lower firing temperatures.

I love the rhythm and discipline of throwing functional ware, however, the perfect shape holds no great interest for me. I like pots to have movement.

For a long time, my diversion was “ripped edge” slab dishes, which I glazed with Tenmoku, Chun and copper red glazes and fired to cone 10 (1300°C) in my 27cuft gas kiln. The total of 10 years spent in Japan had a definite influence on my choice of glazes.

I  enjoy carving touchstones and bowls with Koru or Tapa inspired patterns glazing them with a subtle celadon or vibrant colours.  These days my functional ware is more likely to be lower fired with turquoise or lime green glazes.

Besides throwing functional ware, I also incorporate  Koru into coil built vessels. I’ve developed lower firing and beading glazes to give an organic feel to this sculptural work. 

Lately I have been playing with porcelain and enjoying its translucency.

I am a member of Wellington Potters Association, The Gear Homestead Woolshed Potters, NZPotters Inc, NZ Academy of Fine Arts, and the St James Gallery Trust and regularly exhibit with these groups.

I also teach night classes at The Woolshed Potters and have given workshops at several clubs.

I was the Wellington Regional Council member for the NZPotters for 3 1/2 years, culminating in being the convenor for “Capital Clay 2009″.  This was the annual NZPotters’ convention, and included the 50th National Exhibition as well as a retrospective exhibition “Shaped by Hand” at the Museum of  Wellington. The convention was two years in the planning, and now that I have my life back, look forward to devoting more of my energy towards developing my own clay work.

This year, I was awarded the inaugural NZSP travel scolarship to attend an overseas conference, and I used it towards the International Ceramics Festival in Aberystwyth, Wales in July 2011.

Check my member’s page on www.nzpotters.com.