The Need For Pots

Kyra Cane is a ceramicist and artist based in the Harley Studios nestled in Welbeck Estate.

Made visits the studio to find out more about the potter behind the beautifully crafted creations inspired by the ocean and the waves.

"Suddenly I was introduced to an array of colour, and what ensued was a seemingly endless possibility for creation…"

Made catches up with Kyra Cane; a successful ceramicist and lecturer in ceramics and drawing. Kyra creates vessels influenced by her fascination and observation of landscapes and weather patterns and works from her studio in the grounds at Welbeck Estate.

How have you found the last few months of lockdown, and has Covid 19 caused any challenges to your work? Work has been on standstill however I have used the time to indulge in home time with my adult children, lots of gardening, and as the situation improved catching up with clay reclamation. It has been a strange and unsettling time, but in a way, there have been positives for me, and a chance to take stock on work, new projects, and have some time to draw, particularly some experimental drawing. I also found that I reflected on a few things. For example, I have always been pragmatic about what I do, but seeing the work that the key workers have been doing makes you sit up and question at times the need for ‘pots’!

Tell us how you first discovered ceramics, and what compelled you to pursue this art as your career? I always drew as a child, and I made things. A matchbox was a constant treat to work with! I changed schools at the age of nine and Mr Street, my art teacher, is largely credited for bringing art to the forefront of my mind. In the late 60s, early 70s art was still very important on the primary school curriculum, and so I was very fortunate. I remember he first introduced us to clay, and we made something different every week. I thought it was wonderful that you could make something that was both decorative and useful. Of course, when I left school my unwavering fascination led to Art College, and the rest is history… But what I think is particularly relevant here is that it was a bold move at the time for a girl who grew up in the heart of a mining region. Going into art related work just wasn’t heard of

then. It made waves, alienated you to a point, and i was the only person at school to go. Both my parents encouraged me in their own ways, so i was incredibly lucky to have that support. A few years later, I recall seeing an exhibition by the Central School of Art at Rufford and realising that clay didn’t just have to be brown. Suddenly I was introduced to an array of colour, and what ensued was a seemingly endless possibility for creation…

Which leads us on to what inspires your art? I love the sea. How the land meets the sea and the sea meets the sky. I am completely fascinated with the fact that humans have sculpted the land we live on, but once you get to the edge, the sea has full control. It is an untamed beast, a force of nature that bestows wonder, fear, intrigue, mystery and joy. Its movement and form and its ever changing response to the weather. I respect the journey that the sea takes, and its fluidity and force. When I am drawing I am not making a picture as such but rather I am trying to understand the nature of the sea, the sound, the movement, and its responsiveness to the conditions that surround it. The constant shifting of the clouds, and the power of the weather in relation to the elements.

When sketching, do you prefer to work in colour or black and white? I normally begin drawing in black and white, using charcoal and graphite or ink, colour becomes more important as I develop a greater understanding of my subject.

Is there a particular coastal spot you like to visit? If I had to choose one spot it would be the beautiful Isle of Skye, where my Godmother lives. I also love Pembrokeshire, I used to take students to draw there and more recently have spent many great family holidays camping on the edge of a cliff.

Do you prefer to sketch when you are on location, or photograph and sketch once you are home or in your studio? Always on location if I can. I carry a sketch book in my bag and am prepared to stop and live in the moment whenever/wherever it takes me. With the COVID lockdown things have been slightly different so I have been developing abstract drawings in the studio much more, but this is unusual for me.

When you are working with clay, is it a lengthy process to make one of your pieces, and what is the most difficult or complex stage? Yes, it is lengthy; it also depends on external elements such as the weather and temperature, but there is no specific framework for each piece. The most skilled aspect of making is throwing, but this is a relatively short part of the process. The drying is by far the longest part and the most complex is glazing and firing as it literally makes or breaks the piece.

You also run workshops - how easy is it for a complete beginner to take up pottery? Let’s see… in essence everybody has the capacity to draw and create. The difficulty isn’t with technique, which can be taught, but in understanding the clay and developing intuition with regard to materials. It is an extremely sensory experience. I think it’s important for beginners to understand that clay has qualities, personality and a nature of its own! Over time you will learn to understand the tension

and the transition. It is also susceptible to its surroundings, slight variances in timing, touch or temperature will have a huge effect on the final piece. You could have an expectation of how a particular oxide will work with a glaze but you will never be quite sure. I believe in understanding the nature of particular ceramic materials and you choose to work for or against them, I suppose you could liken it to a soufflé in the oven - any number of actions could effect it.

Can we ask; whose work inspires you, or has been an influence? I greatly admire those who have their own way of thought, and who tend to work in series, which is how I prefer to work also. Ewen Henderson is a huge influence. He was driven by the sense of continual experimentation and transition. I understand the restless development of ideas which meant that shape, colour and surface are fluid. I also love the powerful and expressive work of painters Joan Eardley, and Ivon Hitchens, whose work utilised abbreviated fields of colour perceived through studying landscape rather than detailing exact forms. Both of them presented concepts I can relate to.

Do you have any favourite pieces, or have had a favourite exhibition? I do, they are usually related to transitions points but with regards to exhibitions, it is always the latest exhibition that is the finest. With time my understanding of ceramics strengthens. It is a continuous process of learning and development.

What would be the greatest challenge in your work? I’d say undoubtedly holding your nerve. You have to be prepared to take risks, work with your head but be brave enough to follow your instinct. You have to sense, feel and react to the clay on the journey it takes you each time you create a piece.

And what would be your proudest achievement? Raising a family whilst still running a studio and pursuing a teaching career. Juggling everything to ensure our two children always came first in the knowledge that as they got older I would have more time. I have been fortunate that my career has taken me along various paths which means that I have a wide range of wonderful friends. I have held the Harley Studio now for over 20 years, and in the last 10 years I have been able to realise my ambition to concentrate solely on my own work.

Finally, are there any projects in the pipeline you would like to share with us? I am going to be launching a series of open studios appointments in December, which will be a wonderful way to come along and see first-hand the latest pieces, and some I have fondly kept in my archive up until now. I am still putting the final details in place so do keep an eye on my website or the Harley Gallery’s events section. My studio is big enough to ensure I am COVID secure. Tickets will be bookable in advance, and hopefully I will see both some familiar faces and some new.

For further details and to find out more about Kyra Cane's work, please call 01909 489555 or visit: www.kyracane.co.uk