The Journal of Australian Ceramics Vol 53 No 2 July 2014

Focus: Emerging
Opposite page: Emilie Ristevski, porcelain bowls
wooden spoons, photography and styling, 2014
Hello Emilie!
Emilie Ristevski shares her passion
I am a 21 -year-old designer-maker based in Sydney, Australia, currently studying a Bachelor of Design
at the College of Fine Arts, Paddington. Through the combination of design, styling and photography
I focus on translating stories and ideas to add meaning and longevity to my work.
Majoring in Ceramic Design, my focus is on developing the ceramics skills of wheel throwing,
handbuilding and slip casting. This is extremely important to me as I appreciate the many different
stages that go into each handmade ceramic piece.
I have a tactile approach to design, continually making with my hands using a range of natural
materials. I also play with various types of clay to create diverse collections of handmade vessels and
ceramic objects for the table. My pieces are handformed, wheelthrown, or cast in small runs, with a
high attention to detail and the tactile handmade quality of each piece. I love the idea of being able to
create hand-held objects that people touch, hold and use with their hands - a ceramic piece completely
formed by my hands to be held in someone else's.
Inspiration for my designs comes from many things - organic forms found in nature and objects
from my travels around the world. I enjoy the simplicity and rawness of the subtle details, from surface
texture to beautifully simple forms that stack, nest and sit within each other. I love to arrange and
re-arrange simple forms to create compositions, combining small elements to bring a series of objects to
life.
Inspired by traditional craft and artisan techniques, I also experiment with other natural materials
including wood and fibre. Pieces such as my wooden spoons are carved by hand, filed, sanded and
polished, with some taking days or weeks to complete.
I am drawn to creating work within series and collections, exploring ideas of repetition and examining
the way each piece interacts with others within a space. By learning, thinking and making through the
handmade process, none of my pieces are exactly the same and therefore not perfect. I see these slight
imperfections as a mark of the maker, embracing the essence of the handmade.
http:/ / helloemilie.com
http://instagram.com/helloemilie
30 THE JOURNAL Of AUSTRALIAN CERAMICS JULY 2014