My relationship with clay began in 1975. This creative medium immediately attracted me through the raw and direct tactile experience it offered. I initially worked in a pottery production studio, and then continued my training by studying ceramics full time at East Sydney Technical College.
I make woodfired saltglazed ceramics, both tableware and sculptural work, in my studio in the Southern Highlands, surrounded by nature. I have always been curious about the natural world. It has fed my work in many ways. The weathered textures, patterns and colours of natural and made things can produce a visually complex web that I find compelling. I see the processes of woodfiring and saltglazing as parallel to and flowing from these natural processes. The clay works I make are ‘weathered’ in my kilns, yielding a unique myriad of textures and colours.
My strong relationship with the tactile nature of clay forms the central theme of my making. Through clay, I can express my thoughts and feelings about the world. I have developed my own clay bodies, glazes and slips to help me capture the fluid nature of clay.
I want the material qualities of clay to be visible in the finished piece. I seek to express both the movement and stillness that echo the natural world and provide a testament to the effects of time. My work is a dance, or perhaps a conversation with clay. This may show in many ways, such as the fluidity in a thrown beaker, or the weathered, rough textures in a sculptural piece. My way of making and firing allows for each piece to tell the story of its becoming.
https://www.sandylockwood.com.au/