Having grown up surrounded by clay, local ceramicist Laura Mudge’s connection to this material is rooted in nostalgia, creative experimentation and a love for capturing meaningful memories. Minimal and organic, her work Summer at Woolgoolga featured in Commune echoes the tranquillity of Australian landscapes at sunset and poses a gentle reflection on memories made over summer.
We sat down with Laura to learn more about her connection to ceramics and to discover the inspiration behind this work.
The gentle landscape featured on your work in Commune evokes a real sense of peacefulness. Can you tell us what inspired you to capture this image?
My partner and I spent a couple of nights in the small town of Woolgoolga on the coast of New South Wales around Christmas last year. At sunset we would walk along the beach, away from the town and I felt a real sense of peacefulness. The shore was thick with trees in shadow and the piece I submitted for Commune, Summer at Woolgoolga represents this landscape.
I often look to nature for inspiration, creating abstract landscapes that evoke memories. In response to the opportunity to submit a piece for Commune, I decided to create a work with the landscape of Woolgoolga in mind. I had painted a watercolour from a photo I had taken, and it was an interesting challenge trying to work out how to interpret this through the medium of clay. It’s something I’m looking forward to exploring further.
You are a programmer-by-day, how did you discover your love for ceramics?
See the work of hundreds of Brisbane’s ceramic artists by visiting Commune at Museum of Brisbane.
