Being an artist can often be seen as a stress-free job. However, those in the industry or wishing to make a living from it may think otherwise. We talk to two pottery students from Gymea TAFE to find out whether life is really greener on the other side.
Joyce Waterhouse from Bonnet Bay has been doing pottery at Gymea TAFE for 5 years.
Ms Waterhouse started sculpturing when she retired at 70 and “got hooked” when she learned it at TAFE. She even got her daughter interested, so much that they now have two kilns in their house. Ms Waterhouse describes pottery as a “personal journey”, a change from the technical industry she used to work in.
When Ms Waterhouse was working, art “sat on the back burner”, but now, as she no longer has work commitments, she can “devote her time to refine her craft”.
Ms Waterhouse says ceramics is “pure luxury” and does not need to make a living from it. However, she says those that are doing it for a living are not often so lucky, as the hours it takes to produce something does not cover the labour costs of glazing and electricity, especially on small items where it’s “hard to make my money back”.
Despite this, Ms Waterhouse continues to reap personal rewards.
“It [pottery] challenges as you can never learn everything or lose interest in things,” she said. “I plan to learn more after graduation.”
Inga Svendsen of Newtown is in her fourth year of ceramic classes. Ms Svendsen previously trained as a textile designer and has a passion for colour. She has produced lots of colourful textiles, but now the colour has transformed into her clay work.
“Ceramics is not only a hobby, but I am hoping to get representation through galleries,” she said.
Pottery can be stressful, says Ms Svendsen. The anticipation of the end result may become a “disaster” as there are so many stages to finish it. However, in the end, it normally “turns out to be a great surprise”.
She describes ceramics as “meditative”, but for those contemplating it as a profession it can be a “very hard way to live”.
“Ceramics have grown in appreciation, but it’s still being built as a reputation,” Ms Svensons said.
