Helen Rondell

Ceramicist | Sevenoaks, United Kingdom

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Keepsakes of travelling adventures

Helen exclusively hand coils her unique ceramic sculptures
Her works are mainly inspired from her travels through the south west of the USA
She continues to be amazed by the unpredictability and effects of raku firing

Helen Rondell discovered immense joy in creating different forms in the ceramics department of her university, while she was studying ceramic design. After her graduation, she ventured on a trip across North America and fuelled her inspiration with its powerful landscapes and the ceramic workshops of New Mexico. Today, Helen creates ceramic sculptures using the raku firing technique in her own ceramics studio which she established in 2001. "I always look forward to the process of pulling my pieces out of the kiln and admiring the outcome, which I find unique and surprising every time," Helen says. As the mother of identical twins, the observation of their growth has brought a different perspective and a figurative element to her work in recent years.

Interview

©Scott Wishart

©Scott Wishart

What was your main inspiration when you started out?: I was inspired by my travels through the American southwest, the power of its nature and landscapes, and the unusual, breathtaking rock formations in Arizona and Utah. I also visited New Mexico and the pueblo potteries, where I saw the works of Martine Martinez and her highly burnished pieces.
How would you define your creations?: I would describe them as sculptural. My creations are all hand coiled over a span of several days before transforming into an individual form. This is when the intrinsic shadows and openings reveal themselves.
Why do you like working with raku firing?: All my work is burnished and fired using the naked raku technique. When I was a student, I was captivated by raku firing. Low firing creates a soft, tactile and smooth surface, but the raku firing forms crazing lines that complete the shape of the object.
Has motherhood impacted your work?: My work has become more figurative because of the relationship I develop with my twins day by day. The notion of nature over nurture is fascinating to me, which is something I want to bring across in my work.

Helen Rondell is a master artisan: she began her career in 1999 and she started teaching in 2014