This work is part of Katarina Wells’ 2024 exhibition, Along The Shoreline.

The balance, simplicity and symmetry of each of Katarina’s vessels allows her to focus on the surface of the work which therefore becomes the hero. No one vessel is the same; even the pot itself varies between inside and out. Each endures multiple firings, capturing a particular moment when the natural elements are fused to the clay through this experimental alchemy.

Enveloped by the textures, colours and sound found on her daily walks along the Pittwater shoreline on Sydney’s northern beaches, the works are inspired by elements of this coastal landscape – sea foam, burnt driftwood, eroded shells, lichen-covered rocks and the delicate patterns left by the tide. Whilst her works exude a technical confidence, Katarina’s years of experience working with the material have taught her that sometimes the best outcome happens when the material takes over. With each pot, the artist balances her artistic desires with allowing herself to succumb to the organic process of working with clay. Of this, she says, “Usually, the most successful ones are when they have taken over themselves, and I’ve given up control.”

Through her work, Katarina hopes to leave the viewer with a sense of serenity and introspection that a simple stroll along the water’s edge can evoke.