Clay that pauses time
- Laurel takes inspiration from the rhythms and patterns of nature
- She is a clay sculptor working on large-scale sculptures and hand held items
- Her pieces aim to capture motion and ask the viewer to slow down
Laurel Lukaszewski dreamed of owning a ceramics studio and working as an artist as a teenager. She fulfilled that dream in 2007 when she opened her own studio, after a life that had taken her to teach English in Japan and gain a masters in Asian Studies in the USA. The experience of living in Japan deeply influenced Laurel’s craft, and has resulted in pieces celebrating cherry blossoms and calligraphy. She also draws inspiration from the ocean, sea life and environmental challenges. Laurel creates a range of ceramics pieces, from installations to hand built sculptures and wheel thrown pottery. All of her delicate creations are painted by hand with applicators and brushes. “I am curious about the extremes of clay, and like to play with its boundaries of weight, shape and fragility to support my vision,” she says. Laurel’s large-scale sculptures can be found in hotels and public spaces across the USA.
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INTERVIEW
I love working with clay. I also love the clay community and the wonderful artists and teachers who have supported me throughout my life. I have found that many artists in the fine crafts area, not only in ceramics, are very generous with their knowledge.
Clay seems to be the opposite of technology-driven work, but my kiln has a computer control, which makes firing and diagnostics much easier than a manual kiln. I also use my phone and camera to document my practice and connect with the greater world through social media.
My messages are subtle. I always hope they cause a viewer to stop, slow down and experience my pieces in the present. In most of my work, I have been captivated by that idea of stilling motion or creating a moment in time, in a figurative or abstract sense.
Many people assume I use decals or some sort of pattern, stencil or template. I find that a bit frustrating. I am always having to emphasise that I paint everything by hand, with little applicators and brushes. A typical small vase can take a full day to paint by hand.
