This months etsy interview is with London based ceramicist Laura Bird.
With a background in illustration, her pieces have a strong narrative focus with character and beautiful pattern featuring heavily.
Her inspirations are clear in her work; ancient arts and stories from medieval, greek and roman times, yet her ceramics and illustrations feel modern and fresh with wonderful colour palettes.
You can see what Lauras getting up to and have a nosey into her processes over on her instagram account.
Lets get to know Laura shall we...
1. Can you tell us a bit about you and your background...
I studied illustration at Kingston University, graduating in 2009.
It wasn’t until after uni that I considered working with clay and started an evening course at my local college.
I instantly loved the material and it opened up a whole new world for me to explore!
It’s highly addictive and it was exciting to make pieces of art that could also be useful objects.
I love how endless the possibilities are!
I started selling my work on Etsy about two years later.
2. What books/ magazines are currently on your coffee table?
I have some big books on ancient art of Mexico, medieval drawings and Celtic art that are always inspiring to me.
I don’t often buy magazines but I love interior design magazines such as The World of Interiors, Apartamento, Elle decoration.
3. Tell us about a typical day for you...
I usually start by doing any computer admin and email replying at home and try to get to my studio around 10am.
It’s in a big railway arch in Hoxton which I share with friends.
Each day is different but I will spend the day making, painting, packing orders.
I work until around 6 but usually later until I’ve finished my tasks for the day.
4. How would you describe your work?
My work is colourful, playful, illustrative, characterful. I like the term “ceramic illustrations”.
5. Can you give us an insight into your creative process?
Whenever a new idea pops into my head I try to get it down on paper as soon as possible.
I get a lot of ideas when I’m working on something else so I will stop what I’m doing and make a little drawing.
It only takes a second and will be an extremely rough sketch but it’s there so I can remember it later. I tend to draw out ideas on scraps of paper rather than keep a sketchbook, so I have a pile of them in my studio to look through when I need inspiration.
My ideas usually begin as one very rough sketch and then the making process is trying to realise it! The idea can sometimes change and develop during this time but often the pieces come out looking like the tiny drawing.
I usually have ideas for decoration when I can see the finished shape.
6. What are you currently passionate about or fascinated by and how is it inspiring your work?
I’m very into my garden at the moment and spending more time outdoors! I love nature and flowers which are often used in my work.
7. Who are your design heroes and what inspires you?
Dorothy Annan, Roger Capron, Lucie Rie, Ken Price, Stephen Bird, Anni Albers...there are so many!! There are also loads of amazing people I follow on Instagram that keep me inspired.
8. What’s the most rewarding thing about being an illustrator/ceramicist?
Definitely when I meet people who own my work and selling directly to people. It always amazes me that people want to buy my pieces!
9. What five things could you not live without?
Family, friends, my garden, nice food, my kiln.
10. What makes you laugh?
My friends! I have some very funny friends and we always laugh a lot.
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Thanks to Laura for taking the time to be part of the etsy interviews and sharing an insight into her world!
x x x