Kelsey Cooke was our featured 9 Designer for December, the final month of our anniversary celebration project.  

The 2010s was a decade marked by innovation, an interest in sustainability and a heavy preoccupation with the past. Society was losing trust in its leaders, the technological boom was harming the environment and our jobs were being given to robots. There was a grass-roots movement to get off the grid and empower ourselves with old skills. The back-to-basics movement was quick to spread and touched almost all areas of our lives. The word artisanal was used everywhere, lumberjack shirts and big beards took to the streets and everyone wanted locally sourced produce.

This idea could be seen in Kelsey’s work. The paired back colours and neutral tones of her ceramics showcased their hand-made quality. The simplicity of the designs of her earrings echoed a desire to uncomplicate things unnecessarily and there was a practical purpose for her decorative dishes.

“I'm a ceramicist and a graphic artist, and make intricately patterned handmade pieces. When making ceramics, every step is hands-on. I roll the clay, cut it to shape, sand and sponge it smooth, and take it to Brookvale Ceramic studio to be bisque fired. I decorate my ceramics with either hand-painted glaze or custom-made decals. The ceramic pieces are fired a final time before adding affixings.”

Thank you to all the artists who helped us celebrate our anniversary year.