Catherine Lucktaylor

Ceramicist

©Caroline Marwood

©Catherine Lucktaylor

Balancing form and colour

Catherine hand builds her ceramics, each is unique
Her work encapsulates the spirit of nature
After 30 years, she is still excited by the possibilities of clay

Talking to Catherine Lucktaylor about clay, you quickly realise that it is not just about creating beautiful forms. Through the medium of clay she connects to her ancestral roots, celebrates the wildness of Cornwall – where she lives – and describes the process of making as having a healing effect. Her work is imbued with reverence for the material. She builds each piece carefully by hand and fires it in a traditional raku kiln. Through this process she achieves crackled glazes and vibrant colours. Her work is filled with life, it is made for the home. The word that resonates from talking to Catherine is joy, "it means so much to me bring joy and beauty to someone’s life through my ceramics."

Interview

©Catherine Lucktaylor

©Catherine Lucktaylor

Do you remember when you first worked with clay?: During my Art & Design foundation course in Huddersfield I discovered ceramics. After making my first coil pot I was hooked. It came naturally to me and the feeling that I had finally found something that connected me to my African ancestry was profound.
Are there any special techniques you use in your pieces?: I fire my pieces in a raku kiln I built myself. Raku is an ancient Japanese technique meaning enjoyment. Glazed pieces are fired to 950°C and removed from the kiln whilst red hot. The cool air causes the glaze to crackle. Then pots are plunged into sawdust and smoked.
What do people not normally know about your work?: I think that people don’t normally know how much work goes into each piece and that sometimes things don’t always go according to plan, even with over 30 years of experience. You are at the mercy of the process, literally playing with fire.
Can you tell us a memorable moment in your professional life?: Receiving a Travelling Fellowship from the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust in 1999 enabled me to travel to the west of Africa and Brazil. I followed the journey of enslaved Africans, researched traditional religious beliefs and sacred art. This still informs my sculptural work today.

Catherine Lucktaylor is a master artisan: she began her career in 1990 and she started teaching in 1994