From science to ceramics
- With her work, Cathy aims to portray the challenges and pressures affecting Australian vegetation
- She crafted her first pottery piece, a small brown pinch pot, at the age of four
- She is a lecturer in ceramics at the Australian National University
In her mid-twenties, Cathy Franzi reignited her love for ceramics in New Zealand, transitioning from a science degree to ceramics. She then dedicated two years to refining her craft in Adelaide alongside her partner, Chris Harford. Over the following four years, Cathy explored ceramics all over the world, on a bicycle journey with Chris and their baby, collaborating with potters across different countries such as Thailand, Malaysia, the UK, Turkey, North America and Ireland. Returning to Australia, she established her workshop in Canberra. In 2009, she pursued a Master of Visual Art at the Australian National University, followed by a practice-led research PhD in ceramics awarded in 2015. Cathy’s works centers on Australia’s plants, blending science and creativity to capture their essence. Her innovative use of ceramic materials expresses the marvel and diversity of Australian flora, showcasing their unique character and beauty.
Interview
- What do you love most about your profession?
- The endless possibilities of working with clay – from material exploration and technical discoveries, to creative potential, conceptual challenges and the hard work and discipline it motivates. Being an artist is a demanding, self-directed, and richly rewarding life, with unexpected highs and lows along the way.
- Do you master any specific techniques?
- I have skills in throwing on the wheel, hand-building, sgraffito, stencil work, material development, incising and drawing into the clay surface, glaze development and types of firing. Through many years of being a full-time artist and teacher, I have gained a broad and detailed knowledge of the ceramics field.
- In what way is your craft linked to Australia?
- My art practice connects to the country around me by expressing my experience of the plants and environment I encounter through research and through bushwalking, as a volunteer seed collector with the National Seed Bank. Artist residencies are an important part of my practice, enabling me to spend time in new environments to learn, understand and respond to place through making.
- How do you express tradition and innovation in your work?
- Many of the techniques I use are traditional, such as wheel-throwing and sgraffito, however I have developed an individual and contemporary approach to express botanical imagery and environmental knowledge through my pieces.
Cathy Franzi is a master artisan: she began her career in 1991 and she started teaching in 1997
Works
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Cathy Franzi
