Interview with Tegan Emerson

We sat down with the lovely Tegan Emerson to talk about inspiration, goodness and what she considers important in the process of making her pieces.

 
Where do you find inspiration?

I've built a little partially imaginative world of inspiration, of organic architectures that have formed in an unspecified aquatic environment, which is inspired by natural growth in nature such as coral and geological rock layers. I'm also very inspired by textures, greek pottery, sunken treasure, mythology, the divine, ancient tools and archives.


How did you start your business?

I started my business approximately 2 years ago, I took a commission to make mugs for Albatross bakery which brought some initial interest and support for the style I was working towards. From then on I dedicated hours and days to exploring my style and figuring out which objects are most meaningful to me in my everyday rituals. 



What does ‘Good’ mean for you?

To me, 'Good' evokes something honest and well made, which brings every day joy from its creation and the energy it brings to the world. I grew up with both parents being deeply into handcrafts and vintage furniture, and spent a lot of my childhood mornings at my fathers upholstery workshop seeing how furniture can be crafted with care and given a longer life. I think the idea of objects of slow design and sincere craftsmanship has been important to me for longer than I've realised.


How do you manage your production?/ Why do you choose to make your pieces in small batches?

As I handbuild my pieces and it's a slow process, I've also realised the connection with making each piece is really important to me so I never aim to feel a pressure to produce huge editions of my pieces. I've also realised that ceramics are not the most sustainable material to be recycled, so I pay attention to prototyping and making small batches in case I feel differently about the style and pieces in the future.


Find our selection of Tegan Emerson work here.
Interview with Tegan Emerson