Artist: Joshua Vogel
Artist: Honeycomb Studio
Kintsugi
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Interview with Creative Director, Courtney Hamill
Courtney Hamill is the creative director and artist behind small batch ceramics Honeycomb Studio. Based in Atlanta’s West Midtown District, Courtney creates unique and original porcelain and stoneware designs. All of her work is created by hand using wheel thrown, slip-casting and hand-building techniques. Each of her pieces is completely unique and Bella Cucina is thrilled to carry some of her beautiful, handcrafted work in our local Atlanta store.
Courtney will be joining us in our Virginia-Highland store this Thursday, December 13 from 6-8 p.m., showcasing her work, sharing her molds and telling our customers more about her process. Please join us to meet Courtney and pick out your favorite pieces, perfect for holiday gifts and decoration.
1. What’s the most important or essential tool in your “toolbox”?
The most essential element I work with is obviously my liquid porcelain, called slip. Other than that, I work mostly with an exacto knife, a metal rib and a sponge.
2. Fill in the blank: “When I am in my studio, I feel …”
Focused and relaxed.
3. How do you combat creative blocks?
Keep working. Pablo Picasso said, “Inspiration exists – but it has to find you working.”
4. What is the best advice you have ever received, and what is one piece of advice you would offer to a young, aspiring artist?
My creative motto, and the idea that really opened up worlds for me, comes from the filmmaker Jim Jarmusch. He says (in a nutshell): Steal everything. Devour everything that resonates with you and remember that nothing is original. Don’t claim credit that’s not yours, obviously, but remember that there is no such thing as pure expression. Creativity is a collage-like process that is a result of everything that speaks to you — embrace the collage.
The piece of advice I would give to aspiring artists is don’t be afraid of the process. Not sure your work is good enough? That’s fine. Keep working — you’ll figure it out. It’s part of the process. Creativity, to me, isn’t something you summon from some external ether. It’s work, plan and simple — transforming one thing into another.
5. Where do you go to find inspiration?
I go shopping! Not for clothes, but for interesting shapes that I think could be translated into porcelain. Thrift stores are a good place to start, but ideas can come from anywhere.
Source: bellacucina.com
Source: Bella Cucina's Bella's Blog
Source: bellacucina.com
“Nothing is original. Steal from anywhere that resonates with inspiration or fuels your imagination. Devour old films, new films, music, books, paintings, photographs, poems, dreams, random conversations, architecture, bridges, street signs, trees, clouds, bodies of water, light and shadows. Select only things to steal from that speak directly to your soul. If you do this, your work (and theft) will be authentic. Authenticity is invaluable; originality is non-existent. And don’t bother concealing your thievery—celebrate it if you feel like it. In any case, always remember what Jean-Luc Godard said: ‘It’s not where you take things from—it’s where you take them to.”
Jim Jarmusch