A few days ago I came across Cazamic on Facebook and I am glad I did as the sculptures are beautiful and very unique. I contacted the woman behind the sculptures, Carolyn and asked her a few questions about Cazamic.
When did you first become interested in
Ceramics?
I have always loved art and making things. As
a child I used to spend hours sculpting with homemade salt dough. But it wasn’t until I hit 30 that I ‘found
clay’ as I it were. I went on an art
access course at Telford Colleges of Arts and Technology and worked with lots
of different mediums. Clay was always my
favourite. Around my time at TCAT I
sculpted a bust of my then partner and the college really ranted and raved
about it.
The principle asked for a poster to put in
his office and I was told I MUST go to university and study ceramics. I also sculpted the witch sculpture which
people were impressed with.
A couple of years later I took myself off to university where I did a joint
degree in Ceramics and Computer Science where I got a 2:1 BA with Hons. I was
concerned I wouldn’t find work in Ceramics which is why I also did
computing. But it was the IT which I
went into once I graduated in 2006.
Below are some images of a couple of things I
made at university:
Also while I was at university (2004) I
found out there was a local china museum in my town so went and volunteered to
help for some experience. This led to a part time job as a china flower
demonstrator which I still do on a very part time basis still to this day.
Below are some pictures of the flowers I make
at Coalport China Museum which were inspiration for my flower people:
When did you start to produce your own pieces?
Since my degree I have always made a few
things but I just never knew which direction to go down. I was in November of 2013 when I came up with
my idea for the flower people.
Where did the idea come from for the Flower
People?
I was making some wispy figurines which I did
start to develop some years previous when I messed up the head. I decided to put a rose on its neck as a head
and it took off from there. These are
the very first flower people I made:
What other pieces do you make?
Currently I am just making flower people and
some wisp figurines and the odd bit of work with bone china flowers. As bone china has 50% bone ash it’s a great
clay to add memorial ashes into and then make flowers with. I recently made the following picture frames
as a commission. These flowers have someone’s ashes in them:
I also make wedding place name holders and candles
holders using bone china clay:
How long does it to make each sculpture
They can take up to an hour to
make one. Then they covered and left to
dry. There is some more time spend
smoothing edges and joins as they are drying.
Then they need to be leave for a good couple of weeks to completely
dry. Then they are fired at 1240C at a
slow bisc which takes around 12 hours ( 14 hours to get to temperate and
another 10 for the kiln to cool).
What advice would you give someone wanting to
make a career from their art?
Just do it and don’t let any tell you
can’t. Believe in yourself, work hard
and keep trying.
