Darren Emenau
MNO Clay
Ceramicist
Saint John, Canada
Nature on this planet
- Darren handcrafts ceramic sculptures, featuring bold colours and intriguing textures
- His connection to nature shapes every part of his work
- He strives to give all his pieces an organic look and feel
A master ceramicist with a background in biology, Darren Emenau has questioned and contemplated nature for decades. His pieces display the vivid, contrasting colours of wild mushrooms, the earthen tones of locally-sourced clay, and the irregular shapes and textures encountered in the wild. His practice is based on experimental iterations that mirror the activity of a fertile forest floor. “I have never really followed the rules,” says Darren, whose curiosity leads him to eschew his craft’s conventions in favour of non-traditional techniques. Known for his striking crackled glazes, his more recent work also features the captivating flocked finishes he began developing in 2018. A collection of his works was exhibited at London’s Collect Art Fair in 2025.
INTERVIEW
I usually have about a year to prepare an exhibition. First, I do lots of research and make a bunch of sketches and miniatures. Then, I explore different surfaces. I feel the need to create a full body of work and live with it for a while. I tend to make more than is needed, showcasing about a third of what I have produced.
Nature is one. I am drawn to strong colours as well as the more subdued, natural colours of lichen and bark. Minimalism is another of my inspirations. I try to keep my forms fairly simple. I have been inspired by a lot of abstract artists from the 1950s and 1960s, of which Mark Rothko whose work I am particularly fond of.
Flocking is a decorative technique that dates back about 4,000 years. It was used in China. You cut up fibres, and apply various glues to a substrate of some sort. You sprinkle the fibres onto the glue so they build up. Once the glue is dry, you shake or brush off the excess, and what remains is an interesting 'fur-like' effect.
I am always trying to strike a balance between what I want to say and what the clay wants to say. I do not want to wrestle the clay too hard to make something. I try to keep my work looking very fluid and loose. Usually, it is not perfectly symmetrical, following a more organic or relaxed form.
Darren Emenau
MNO Clay
Ceramicist
Saint John, Canada
AVAILABILITY
By appointment only
PHONE
+1 5066085955
LANGUAGES
English
Homo Faber Finds is a new service aiming to inspire admirers of craft to connect and collaborate with exceptional artisans.
We invite you to submit an enquiry here.
