The Journal of Australian Ceramics Vol 53 No 2 July 2014

Spaces and Places
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Late Nights and Dusty Clothes
Amy Kennedy interviews Leah Jackson, Resident Artist at
Northcote Pottery Supplies in Melbourne
Amy Kennedy: When and how did you start ceramics?
Leah Jackson: During high school I had a very supportive ceramics teacher who I had great rapport
with. She would organise field trips to various potter's studios so that we could experiment with firing
techniques. The school at the time was science and sports focused but the previous principal had
supported the art department, so fortunately we had great facilities to use.
AK: Do you consider yourself an emerging artist? If so, why?
U : Although I graduated in 2003 I didn't really take up my practice outside of an institution until around
2008. Having gone straight to university from high school meant that I was pretty starved for some
greater life experience, so I took the opportunity to relocate a couple of times, travel, and work in the
arts during the intervening years. I consider myself an emerging artist until I am focused on my practice
full time. At present I still work part time a couple of days in an unrelated field. I tend to embrace and
enjoy the challenge of learning and developing, which makes me constantly feel like a novice, so it will
probably only be in retrospect that I see myself as 'emerged' as opposed to 'emerging'.
AK: What is your educational background?
U: I completed a Bachelor of Arts Visual (Honours) with a major in ceramics at the National Institute
of the Arts (ANU). We had access to exciting artists from around the world thanks to the International
Artist Program. I came to study at ANU via a flyer that was left on my desk by the aforementioned
ceramics teacher - a person can have a profound effect on one's life! Otherwise, I would most likely
have studied closer to home in Melbourne, and my work might look completely different today, for
better or worse.
AK: What sort of work do you do? What inspires it?
U: My work is predominantly functional. The use of the object inspires it, as does material, touch and
colour. Film and television sets are particularly interesting to me, as the objects used in set dressing
create a more rounded narrative or character description. Taking in the surrounds of a character fills in
the blanks for our brains. I am fascinated by this, and often return to it as a reference. My inspiration
folders are littered with screen grabs from these moments.
AK: How did you come to be a Resident Artist at Northcote Pottery Supplies?
U: Previously I had been working from home, in my apartment, packing up every evening into a
cupboard that I had set aside for ceramics. Although it taught me how to use space very efficiently,
after a particularly busy year including a solo exhibition and several group exhibitions, on top of trying
to sustain the more commercial side, I'd had enough and just couldn't stomach making at home any
longer. I had been using the firing service and coming to the shop at NPS for years (you can 't fire in an
apartment!) so I took the leap and put my name down for a studiO space. Luckily one became ava ilable
reasonably quickly.
THE JOURNAL OF AUSTRALIAN CERAMICS JULY 2014 83