Natasha Swan, a 27 year old artist from Islandmagee, creates handmade pottery using traditional making on the pottery wheel.
After extensive training both in Northern and southern Ireland she launched her business in 2018 addressing the lack of making opportunities available otherwise.
What genre / style do you create in?
Contemporary, functional tableware. Simple, tactile ceramics to suit a modern living home
What would you be best known for?
Both my flecked porcelain range and rustic range are very popular, they’re similar in showcasing skills of handmade pottery using a combination of glazed and non-glazed areas to create tactile pottery designed to a professional standard.
What would you consider your biggest achievement?
Being awarded with a scholarship as the only ‘Young Ambassador’ in Northern Ireland to work at the world-renowned ‘Homo Fabre’ exhibition through the Michelangelo Foundation in Venice 2018
What would you consider to be the biggest lesson you’ve learned in your industry?
Ceramics comes with many challenges at all stages of making, support from other makers is invaluable! Having a positive attitude and not believing in success until a piece is finished out of the kiln is key, no matter what stage in your career ceramics has a way of humbling its maker creating a community of makers aware of each others struggles and always willing to offer advice.
What has been your biggest challenge to date?
My biggest challenge was the launch of my own business in 2018, I had little money behind me but a lot of passion and drive. After enduring a lengthy application process I secured partial funding through DEARA and the ‘Rural Development Program’ to start my business from a home studio.
Almost two years later I can now support myself working full time in my home studio- I never thought this day would come!
Tell us a little about your personal life, are you married, kids, hobbies etc?
In February 2020 I married and had a honeymoon planned to Korea to see the origins of pottery (my dream) following onto Japan to go skiing (my husbands dream). I dragged my newlywed husband to Korea amidst the start of Covid and unfortunately we had to return home before we got to travel to Japan. We’re still married and have a new puppy called Bamse. We live by the sea and enjoy the best of Northern Ireland’s outdoors when we can, kayaking, walking and getting drenched.
Tell us about your most recent work?
Over lockdown, I have taken the opportunity to develop my most popular ranges of flecked porcelain pottery and my rustic range. Both of these reflect the more simple lives that were now living which I feel is why they are so popular. Combining supporting local makers with a practical product that can bring joy into a modern home.
What would you like us to tell people about?
I am continuing to showcase my flecked Postorcelain tableware as my signature range, I would love extra support on sharing it.
If you had to describe your work to someone who has never heard of you what would you say?
Natasha Swan Ceramics creates handmade pottery that combines simplicity, function and style. Each piece is carefully crafted in a studio pottery in Islandmagee, Co. Antrim inspired by the joy of simple living in a modern home.
What’s the funniest experience you’ve had in your business?
Early into developing my packaging and wanting to create an eco-friendly product, I ordered biodegradable packing peanuts. Unfortunately, my 6 bags never arrived, I checked with the company and they agreed to resend them. To my surprise, every lost bag of packing peanuts in the world arrived at my house. I had 20 bags and had to store them in every spare inch of the house including the roof space and greenhouse. To my surprise, within a few stormy days, I had two bags less of packing peanuts and a very sticky greenhouse… I now know that biodegradable means they begin to disintegrate when they’re wet.
What would your advice be to young people hoping to pursue the same industry?
Keep going! It is a difficult market to get into with equipment being expensive to get hold of and opportunities for renting spaces limited but it is possible. It’s important to get involved with local supporting bodies such as Craft NI and Ceramics Ireland and contact makers local to you.
Ceramics people tend to be very easygoing and willing to help understanding the journey is difficult. Make sure to always ask for help and apply for any opportunity available even if you think you’re not good enough- you may be pleasantly surprised
Anything else you want to tell people about yourself or your work?
Alongside my popular tableware ranges, I also take orders for custom mugs, door number and breakfast sets. They have made great gift options and its always a fun, creative challenge for me
Who do you look up to and why?
I admire most Gus Mabelson, course director of Design and Craft Council of Ireland ‘Pottery Skills Course’, Kilkenny. In this course is where I learnt all that I know about the professional producing of pottery. Gus started the course 20 years ago and taught all of the best craftspeople that Ireland has to offer. He teaches with great passion and knowledge demanding respect in return.
If anyone in the world of either education or ceramics should be celebrated it should be Gus Mabelson, I am proud to be an alumni of such a prestigious course that wouldn’t have been possible without his hard work and never-ending determination.
You can find Natasha’s creations @natashaswanceramics on Instagram and Facebook, or you can check out her website https://natashaswanceramics.com/!