Introducing Billie from Billie Wagtail Pottery. Where every item is handmade!! From her home in Ayr, North Queensland, Billie meticulously creates her pieces with love.
Find out why Billie started creating and why she is so passionate about the value of handmade.
Tell us about your creations and your handmade process.
I hand make and hand paint all of my pottery pieces - from rolling out the slabs, painting detailed designs and loading them into the kiln. Each piece is crafted and handled with care and attention. While I dabble in wheel throwing and slip casting, handmade serving ware, painted with an array of underglaze colours, is my usual jam!
My bright sunflowers are a bit of a trademark of my work - they adorn all manner of serving and tableware, bringing brightness and joy to meal time. I also enjoy making custom pieces; I love taking customers ideas or pet photos and bringing them to life on plates and platters that they can use every day.
Tell us a bit about your journey to becoming a handmade artist.
I've always been creative and enjoyed making art since I was a kid - my mum encouraged all types of arts and crafts! But my pottery journey started in early 2020 where I started making pieces at my local pottery club. It took me a while to find my groove with the clay, but when I started making little cow and pony planters and painting sunflowers on things I didn't look back!
Since then, I've been trialling, testing and refining my work to become functional art - durable pieces that people can use everyday, that double as art pieces!
Evoking happiness or memorialising a special pet or moment, I want my work to make the user happy when they use it!
I can feel when it's been too long between painting sessions - it's an amazing way to destress and let the creativity flow.
What is your inspiration or where do you find inspiration?
I'm inspired by nature and the outdoors. My painted designs are usually floral (sunflowers!). Besides my sunnies, I like to paint native Australian themes (usually flowers and birds). I love the vibrancy of underglaze and how I can paint designs that are bright and fun. I can also use them on a varieties of clays, which allows me to experiment with colours and designs.
I enjoy working with clay because it's a natural, tactile material. You can take something from the earth, fire it and then use it every day - every time you fire a piece, the outcome is a mystery. It could be a success or heart break - whatever the kiln gods decide. It inspires to me keep trying and keep experimenting. There's so many directions you can take ceramics, you'll never be bored in this art form!
Where did you learn your craft?
I'm primarily self taught but have learned a lot through the ladies at my local pottery club. I've done a lot of testing and trialling of products and clays to find what works for me - experimentation and accepting when things don't quite work out are key.
Why is handmade artistry so important to you?
Every time you buy handmade, you're buying a little piece of that artist's energy, their skill and their dedication. In a mass-produced world, handmade pottery and ceramics give you a chance to create and express yourself in a way that no one else can - no two pieces are exactly the same! Why eat from a plain white plate when you can eat from a bowl of sunflowers? I love thinking that when I make pottery for someone, it might brighten their day for just a moment.
Billie is a much loved member of the Madeit Collective, posting regularly in our Facebook Group ~ The Handmade Marketplace of Australia ~ and sharing her new creations as they are released. If you haven't connected with Billie Wagtail Pottery, make sure you join our FB Group and say hi !
