Petra Borner
What is your process for creating your work, tell us how you go from idea to final piece:
Up to this point my work has been mostly unplanned and created in a frenzied state of excitement. Being in lockdown has been a challenging interruption to my ceramic practice and I’ve really missed the great energy and unparalleled joy that working with clay brings to me.
I come to Morley College once a week, preferably a full day when that’s possible and it brings me out of my usual practice as an artist. I love the space, the people there, the materials, the tools and all its challenges. I often think of and configure shapes in my head (and in sketches) in between sessions, but I mainly thrive off working in the moment, with a limited amount of time, which makes it near impossible to ever make all that I’d like to create within a session.
I’ve always been drawn to working with a variety of techniques in my art practice and the same applies to clay. Perhaps it’s the techniques themselves and the urge to try them which interests me the most, rather than working towards an end result. The enjoyment of the making and its processes is so totally encompassing and I can’t think of anything else more satisfying, that holds my attention so fully.
Thinking of my process, it’s clear that I like to vary how I approach my work so everything feels kind of new to me. I recently started to explore plaster, mould making and slab carving with my clay practice with great guidance and suggestions from my tutor. These are all exciting methods for translating and combining line drawings into more 3-dimensional form and texture.
I feel that I’ve only experienced a tiny part of all the possible techniques during the 6 years I’ve worked with clay. What I have noticed though is that I tend to be more attracted to the starting phase and I have to concentrate harder and push myself to not rush through finalising work, at which point I’m usually already thinking of the next piece.But to be honest I love all the different stages of working with clay and its challenges, it’s always surprising and exciting.
How long have you been a student at Morley?
I started to come to Morley in January 2019.
What's your favourite part of studying at Morley?
I love the Morley building, the way it looks and how light soaks our ceramic studio. But, I particularly enjoy how this busy space is shared dynamically between likeminded and passionate people. There is an ongoing exchange of energy and a flow of creativity taken onto a myriad of journeys, each so different to the next although the starting point is much the same; the clay, the wooden boards and those burdened shelves.
There is so much opportunity to learn from the brilliant and inspiring staff, to develop, to exchange and expand within this truly unique and ancient practice.
