Meet the Maker
Melbourne studio potter Rafal is the maker behind Sticky Earth Ceramics.
With a grounding in decorative objects, Rafal’s focus is now on everyday objects – plates, bowls cups and vases. In this article he speaks about a lifelong attraction to all things hand made, and letting classic forms and textures speak for themselves.
“I believe nature can be a healing element for our busy lives, and I hope these everyday items can act as a natural salve for the people who use them.”
Rafal Kaczmarek – Interviewed 2021 in Silverkris magazine
Potters need to be quite dextrous – what’s your secret?
I guess it goes back to making things from scratch when I was a kid. When I was seven years old, I saw a big homemade rocket at my uncle’s house, and from there I was hooked. All I wanted in my life was to make this rocket. Well, I never made that exact model, but from the time I was nine I was constantly shaping and carving balsa wood for planes and rockets.
I remember making the largest kite ever made in my village, which was five metres by three metres – and it won a competition!
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How did you make a start in ceramics?
Back when I was living in Krakow, Poland I was once invited to help out my friend’s ceramic workshop. They were making hand-built figurines, mainly angels, and I thought I would give it a go. Well, at first I didn’t know what I was doing, but decided to stick with it, and ended up making angels for around four years.
Now you have your own pottery studio here in Melbourne, you are choosing to create more functional objects – why is that?
I think it’s the simplicity, but also the connection with history. These objects have a design that has basically stayed unchanged for centuries. If you look at the ancient cultures, they all made these personal everyday objects, and while they are all different, they’re also similar.
Can you tell me more about what you mean by simplicity?
I’m attracted to minimal forms that are perfect but imperfect at the same time. For me the less ‘craft’ involved, the better. Of course, these things (highly decorated pottery) can be beautiful, but I also think pottery can be beautiful in itself, rather than just a canvas for painting on.
Sometimes I think the most simple and humble forms are the most memorable.
You say you are drawn to a philosophy or aesthetic called wabi sabi…?
That’s right. Some of the pottery in Japan was based on this Zen philosophy, where everyday objects are seen as part of the nature, rather than part of the… ah… cupboard (laughs). This kind of practice has been with us for 1000 years now.
There is a real interest in Melbourne now towards hand crafted objects, particularly pottery and stoneware. Why do you think that is?
A lot of people now don’t want to surround themselves with objects that have been made in an industrial environment. Some dishes are produced in the millions, in some kind of factory, and are absolutely uncharacteristic. And as something to look at every single day they are not interesting or satisfying.
It’s also becoming clear to people that they want to have as little as possible, but to make sure the things they do have are meaningful and unique, not things to be used and thrown away. Less is more.
What is the most popular pottery item you sell?
Probably my ceramic keepcups. People are realising that coffee tastes better out of ceramics – and it means less landfill!
How long does it take you to transform a raw piece of clay to something I can eat or drink from?
About six or seven days. You can speed this up, but the best result comes from making things as slowly as possible, with enough time for the cooling and firing.
Pottery has to be fired twice – once before glazing and once afterwards. The second firing needs to happen at very high temperatures – around 1280 degrees. For stoneware, this is where all the elements inside the clay fuse together and become waterproof, and safe for someone to use.
When you start to make a piece on the potter’s wheel, do you always have a clear idea how it will turn out?
Usually – but not always! I do experiment and sometimes it is really the best way to find something exciting.
The first pieces I throw are like a sketch, and I’ll either chuck them out or use them for a glaze test. I need to make four or five pieces before I get in a rhythm and start turning out consistent forms.
Once the clay is on the wheel, how long do you have to work with it?
Probably about a minute or two, but definitely no more than five. After that the structure of the clay becomes weaker and the product is more likely to crack.
One characteristic of your pottery is letting the natural textures of the stoneware show through the glaze. How do you achieve this?
It is trial and error, always. But once you know how everything will work – how that particular glaze will affect the clay, and what temperature will work, it’s a matter of repeating the formula. Different clay and different glazes behave very differently, so it isn’t always straightforward.
How do you choose your glazes?
I’m constantly on the lookout for glazes that will complement my work. I mix my own glazes or buy ready-made ones.
What do you love most about ceramics?
I love thinking about the form – for me form is the most important. Mostly he little details – finding the right thickness and the right balance. It’s about making an object that feels right in someone’s hand, and that’s a pleasure to use.
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