Leaving a mark in clay
- Claire makes ceramics with natural textures and hues
- She is inspired by a love of animals
- She uses the unusual technique of saggar firing
Claire Molloy set up her ceramic studio in Kilmoganny, County Kilkenny in 2021. There, surrounded by the rugged Irish countryside, Claire makes pieces on the potter’s wheel which have simple elegant forms finished with natural textures and hues. She specialises in the technique of horsehair raku: saggar firing. Often using hair from her own horses, she places the strands onto hot ceramics. The hairs then burn into the clay leaving behind organic dark lines. In addition to this traditional technique, she uses ceramic decals to transfer images onto the pieces. Claire’s work has been selected for MADE in Kilkenny craft group and the Design and Craft Council of Ireland’s wider Portfolio programme.
Interview
- How did you start out in ceramics?
- The first thing I ever made in clay was a bowl in air dry clay as a child. I painted it red with green spots. In college, I started making sculptural work but then developed a love of working on the wheel. This brought me to the Design and Craft Council of Ireland’s course in Kilkenny.
- How do you start a piece?
- I come up for an idea for a design either by sketching in a notebook or more often by ‘sketching on the wheel’. I prefer this way: you can see what your design looks like in 3D. Sometimes what looks good in a sketch pad does not always translate well in reality.
- What surprises people about your work?
- The amount of time that goes into making each piece. My tableware goes into the kiln three times: a bisque firing, a glaze firing and lastly a firing for the decal images of animals. Each stage has different temperature requirements so has to be done separately to get a quality finish.
- What do you love most about your profession?
- I love being creative and running my own business. It allows me to live in the Irish rural countryside and be part of that way of life. I also still find it flattering when someone loves my work enough to purchase it, that is a great feeling.
Claire Molloy is an expert artisan: she began her career in 2012
Where
Claire Molloy
