Ceramicist, Rachel Falls Williams, loved textiles, patterns and textures as a child and she’d spend hours and hours making all manner of artistic creations.
But Rachel didn’t pursue the creative arts when she left school. Instead she started an architecture degree and then moved into town planning. She says, while she loved the urban design aspect of the job, there came a time when she wanted to do something more meaningful.
“I went and did a Dip Ed and started working as a teacher,” Rachel says.
“I also joined a pottery group as I’d been interested in pottery for quite some time. We did a lot of hand building and experimenting with clay but there wasn’t any explicit teaching as such.”
As luck would have it, Rachel was friends with well known potter Jonathon Hook and Jonathon not only gave her advice – he made her an offer she simply couldn’t refuse.
“Jonathon told me wheel throwing was all about practice, practice, practice so he invited me to set up my wheel at his studio. I was still teaching at the time but I realised pretty quickly that I wanted to give pottery a red hot go and that meant quitting my job so I could do it full time. ”
Anyone who has made the leap of faith to switch careers will know it takes great courage to give up job security and step into the realm of doing something artistic for yourself. And while there was no formal arrangement between Jonathon and Rachel – the two enjoyed each other’s company and Rachel learnt a range of technical skills from the master potter.
Fast forward three years and Rachel’s work is now a thing of beauty. She’s created her own studio at the side of her house and produced literally hundreds of functional pieces for everyday use. Her work is delicate, refined and tactile. It’s feminine, elegant and exquisite and influenced by the local landscapes of the Great Southern region. It’s inspired by the patterns of light on the ocean floor, the earthy colours in distant hills and the textures of bark and granite that she sees in the forest on the farm where she lives.
“I’m surrounded by a thriving arts community and a number of really good potters. I think artists here are inspired by the environment and pottery allows you to literally be in touch with the elements. Being in a community that appreciates, fosters and values artistic pursuits gives you courage to express yourself artistically; it lifts you up and celebrates what you do without the hindrance of competition.
“I think a lot of people think of pottery as just throwing clay on a wheel but you have to first weigh out the clay and knead it up then throw it, trim it, carve a foot in the bottom and then sometimes you’re attaching a handle or etching a pattern. Then there’s the firing and glazing so you are coming back and touching each piece 15 to 20 times through the process.”
With this amount of work going into each piece Rachel’s desire is to keep her ceramic business small, select and more boutique-style. And, as it is for all artistic pursuits, it is the process that is often more appealing to the maker than the end product itself.
“The functionality and creative expression is certainly part of it, but also working with the natural elements of earth, water and fire excites and challenges me. Creating pieces that are uniquely of a place and of me feels important, especially in a world where technology and industry is so dominant.”
