Meet the Maker | Matt Calder Ceramics
After a short break, our Meet the Maker series is back! We’re excited to once again give you an insight into our makers and how they create their beautiful work for our lovely shops. And who better to kick things off than the talented Matt Calder, whose range has been incredibly popular across both of our shops in Cornwall.
Hand-thrown in his studio nestled in the East Devon countryside, Matt’s work strikes the perfect balance between functional and decorative pieces.
What drew you to becoming a craftsperson and maker specialising in ceramics?
I have been a wood turner and sculptor since the mid ‘80s, and decided on a change of discipline and direction around 5 years ago. My wood pieces had always been heavily influenced by ceramic forms and expression, so in that respect it felt a natural progression - that said clay and wood as a working material are poles apart, so in many ways I’ve had to go back to square one with the making process, which has been a great challenge.
What are your influences for your designs and creations?
My ceramic work is broadly functional - kitchen and table ware - so I think about the workability of pieces in a functional/food context, while trying to maintain a strong decorative element. I do like a ‘moving’ glaze surface which is visually appealing, and ash glazes are great for this. I’ve always been influenced by the meditative aspect of making pots, the mindful Japanese approach of embracing imperfection and finding beauty in impermanence and flaws.
Could you describe a typical day in the studio?
If it's cold, first port of call is the wood burner. My studio sits in a bit of a frost pocket so I need to be conscious of heavy frost affecting clay and greenware. Generally I’ll have a good Spotify playlist or Radio 6 on, and busy myself making whatever pieces are low on stock from my standard range. Wholesale orders take precedence particularly in the winter months. Late winter/spring is all about building stock for the few shows that I go to, and I try to make at least one one-off or experimental piece a day on top of that.
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When are you the most inspired?
Usually first thing, before the multitude of other garden / house / general upkeep chores take a hold! That said, just settling in and letting the process work through you can be the best spontaneous inspiration - having a batch of 50 mugs or so lined up to make can be a great meditative zone to get into, and inspiration for new ideas can come from that.
What are your favourite moments within your work and practise?
Often a piece can ‘work’ for no other reason than it feels right. There may be no discernible difference between two pieces but one will just flow and have a better energy - so that’s a favourite moment when that happens. I try to hold on to pieces for a little while that have that vibe to them. But feedback is so important - having a customer tell you they use a piece every day is definitely a favourite moment.
Is there anything you're loving this winter? For example, a book, a series, a new hobby or a podcast?
I’m a musician and have recently been getting back into writing and recording after a bit of a hiatus post lockdown, so that takes up some of my spare time. It’s been great to get back into writing some new music from scratch. Book wise I like to keep connected to my wood and enjoy anything related to timber species and history - I’m also a bit of a closet Sci-Fi buff and Andy Wier’s Project Hail Mary is a great recent read.