My fascination with clay began when I was a child and being Suzanne the potter has been an integral, yet unfortunately intermittent, part of my life since.

I live and work in a suburb of Logan (the city between Brisbane and the Gold Coast) in Queensland, Australia.

I have always been drawn to the whimsical and wonderful; and therefore the marvellous work of Theodor Geisel (Dr Seuss) greatly appeals to me. His seemingly simple, yet clever and creative words and drawings pervade many aspects of my life and this influence on my work is sometimes obvious.

I am amazed by the creations of many of Earth’s smaller inhabitants, especially insects, to sculpt and assemble nests and homes from materials found in their immediate environment.

Plants are also a source of fascination with their impressive assortment of seedpods, leaves, stems, textures and lines. I am both inspired and comforted by walking in the local native bushland with its diverse offering of forms, textures and subtle colours.

I never tire of the feel and smell of clay and working with it is both soothing and invigorating. My work includes wheel-thrown functional pieces, sometimes altered and drawn on, but most are sculptural pieces hand built from coils and slabs. I make my own glazes and slips and reduction fire in my gas kiln.

I am guided by line, contour, shadow and tone, negative space and balance when creating anything and the drape of fabric captured in a rigid and permanent form appeals to me.

Every piece is individually made and even those that come in large families such as the ‘Vespires’ or the little koalas each have their own unique personality.

– Suzanne (Eckley) Horsfall