Katrin Huerzeler
KH Ceramic Design
Ontario, Canada

Email
e-mail@khceramicdesign.com

Artist Statement
I’m never tired of watching people pick up a handmade mug, pause, observe, and feel the surface before they take a sip from it. Clay gives me the opportunity to create my own canvas, and yes, sometimes that canvas is a cup, a plate, or in my recent work, a vase. Clay is my preferred medium, though I find inspiration in painting, sewing, and carving wood. While most of my work is thrown on the wheel, I’ve started to combine throwing and handbuilding to expand beyond the round. In my latest work, I focus on an elongated vase form, with a low profile. This work reflects my yearning for spring flowers, and in Northwestern Ontario, we do have to be patient for spring to arrive!

Studio Description
My studio is neither pretty nor super practical, but having it in my own house was crucial. Juggling family and business is a challenge in itself. Being able to step in and out of the studio, makes family life and work much easier.

What type of clay do you use?
Porcelain and stoneware

What temperature do you fire to?
Cone 6

What is your primary forming method?
Mostly I work on the wheel with a bit of handbuilding now and then.

What is your favorite surface treatment?
Right now I use colored slips and terra sigillata on darker clay bodies, porcelain gets glazed.

What one word would you use to describe your work?
Tactile and decorative

What is your favorite thing about your studio?
That it is my own space

What is the one thing in your studio you can’t live without?
I love my two metal ribs

What are your top three studio wishes?
More light, more space inside, space for a kiln shed outside

How do you save money on materials and supplies?
Haha, I don't.

How do you recharge creatively?
I travel home to visit my family and friends in Italy and Switzerland. These trips always fill me up with energy and new inspiration.

If you could change one property of clay, what would it be?
The workability of porcelain