Genie Albrecht

There is something spiritual about working with clay, particularly on the wheel. Observing a lump of clay flowing through one’s fingers and hands as the wheel mesmerisingly brings an incredible connection to Mother Earth. Throwing clay is my passion. I love watching how a form is created on the wheel, perpetuating a mandala and transformed into tableware.

Upon introduction to the anglo-oriental firing method, I fell in love with it. There is a lot of freedom whilst decorating and glazing these pieces. Clay vessels live-fired in a reduced atmosphere reveals that art can be functional with flowing fires over and around it. Whilst the fire licks its way around, and over the pots, colours run and blend with other colours, bringing a surprise upon opening the kiln, and one can see the various effects where the fire was hottest, what stood next to it and how packed the kiln was.

Removing the final glaze fired piece out of the kiln is not the culmination of the artwork. I like taking clay further right onto the dinner table where people can feel these pieces, admire the anglo-oriental glazing and decoration entwining cuisine and ceramics.

Many ideas come from my travels. In clay, I enjoy infusing different countries/cultures with Namibia. My favourites are tea bowls and bowls in general. In Japan, tea drinking is a spiritual yet quintessential ritual of socialising. Being presented with a tea bowl filled with tea, one feels the bowl’s immediate warmth, creating a peaceful moment drawing away one’s thoughts from the mundane world. There is harmony in this ambience as one feels the tea bowls shape and form in the hands.

For me, handmade pots and home-cooked meals go hand in hand and what better way than a presentation on an artists creation.

I offer pottery courses to children ages 8-18.
Email: geniealbrecht998@gmail.com