Reknowned Sydney ceramicist Alana Wilson was not only kind enough to let us into her home, but she showed off her beautiful studio space as well. It’s tucked away in a little unassuming garage across the road from Tamarama beach that acts as both studio and simple retail space; not unlike the working ateliers you come across in the quiet streets of artistic hubs in Paris or the like. *I loved learning that because it is in an old garage, where the floors are uneven, everything had to be meticulously levelled upon setting up, from the tables and shelves to the kiln. There is something about the rigid and mathematical nature of this, that to me make the delicate and beautiful qualities of her objects even more impressive.
Her studio is not even 5 minutes’ walking distance from her home, set in a simultaneously bustling yet tranquil spot. Aside from the odd car driving past, you can hear the ocean rolling in the background; not a bad soundtrack for work. Being a water lover, something tells me the choice of where to spend her days creating was not merely a fluke…
‘I love its proximity to the beach which allows for so many positive things – swimming as often as possible, watching the surf against Twins and the South Bronte cliffs, spotting dolphins and whales from the studio, and observing the environmental changes throughout the seasons and the light changing throughout the day.’
‘Most days I am at the studio. A couple of days a week I teach swimming at Cook & Phillip Aquatic Centre. I have swum from a young age and my childhood was hugely influenced by and revolved around swimming. It is still a big part of my life and I cherish the days teaching as much as I cherish the days in the studio. The energies and mentalities needed for each both counteract each other and contribute to the balance.’
‘Each day is different, I tend to work in a loose cycle based on exhibition deadlines every 3-4 months. Ceramics as a medium is a long process, it is not instant and you cannot see it progress directly in front of you in one sitting. I will generally always have works in progress and work on several processes at once – conceptual research, experimentation, making, drying, firing, glazing, glaze firing, observing, exhibiting. The bookends of the day are an early coffee and taking time at the end of the day to appreciate the surrounding natural environment and the dusk horizons.’
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