Porcelain creatures inspired by the sea
- Anne is fascinated by Greek pottery with large handles, like the kylix drinking cup
- She uses the trailing technique to form lines in her pieces
- Her sea creatures like anemones and jellyfish rely on watercolour
After two years of studying history of art at the University of Ghent, Anne Mortier had made her mind up: she was going to switch from a theoretical approach to a physical practice. She chose ceramics because it was an offbeat discipline at the time. “I dreamed of educating people in what could be called a ‘good’ pot – to Bernard Leach’s standards – where form, glaze and function come together,” she says. Anne was also the only student working with high temperature fired stoneware, so she had to learn about high-firing methods by taking extra classes. She attended masterclasses with artists such as John Leach, which helped her develop her high-firing technique. She later adopted a more graphic technique.
Interview
- Could you describe the singular quality of your works?
- My porcelain shapes are three-dimensional unglazed translucent watercolours, that reveal the naked skin of vitrified porcelain. I like to experiment by using different kinds of clay, which react differently to high-firing temperatures.
- What is the unexpected aspect of your work you love the most?
- Experimenting with different types of porcelain. Distortions are inevitable due to the shrinkage of the material and the pull of gravity, but I embrace the unpredictability of the pieces. For me, porcelain is at its best when it is frail and brittle, like life itself.
- Were there any challenges you had to face when you chose ceramics as your craft in the 1980s?
- It was not easy at all. You need a lot of equipment for a potter’s studio. I started mine in a tiny room of a house I was renting. It was so cold on some nights, that my work literally froze! I have had lots of studios over the years – even in a pigsty once!
- Has there been a memorable moment for you in your career?
- Being awarded the BIAMT Award in 2020 with my collection Fall. It is an international biennale of miniature arts in Romania where works cannot exceed 20 cm. I was particularly thrilled about this award because it was the first time I had entered my new sculptural work at an art fair.
Anne Mortier is a master artisan: she began her career in 1980 and she started teaching in 1983
Where
Anne Mortier
