STACEY'S CERAMICS
You’ve probably noticed that ceramics have become increasingly cool over the past two years. They’ve taken over TikTok and instagram and are perched in the windows of all your favourite cafes and homes. Amongst all this excitement, Stacey DeGroot, decided to give ceramics a go herself and began making pieces at home. She’s continued creating and developing her style over the past few years and has wound up with something uniquely hers. From ethereal incense burners, to long lasting, floral car-fresheners, to mugs and ash-trays and everything in between, Stacey’s are some of the best. The pretty, pale colours, the organic shapes, and the fresh originality of her style stand out to us so clearly, you can sense the love that she works into her creations.
WANDERER: What is your favourite colour?
STACEY: A vibrant, leafy green.
Where do you draw your inspiration from?
This is hard for me to pinpoint. I think (mostly) I draw inspiration from nature and its amazing colours. But I also love experimenting with the shape of natural objects and making them look cartoon-like. When creating my work I sometimes find myself thinking, This looks as though it could've come out of Super Mario, and to me that almost gives it a nostalgic feel.
How do you keep your style unique and evolving, avoid falling into trends?
I find this so hard! Because 1. I started my business at the peak of COVID when ceramics itself was 'trending' and 2. Like most businesses, I market myself through social media so it's a balancing act between wanting to be authentic to myself and my creative process and wanting to stay relevant to an algorithm.
So to avoid falling into trends I like to give myself plenty of space to experiment playfully without expectation, and I find it helps to really try to pinpoint the things that inspire me and then ask myself how I can bring those things to my work. Ultimately, I think anything that's authentic and unique will out shine any algorithm or trend and find its way to the right audience naturally.
How did your ceramics journey start?
My ceramics journey began in late 2019/early 2020. I remember watching a short doco on ceramicist Lorien Stern and I was immediately interested. For my birthday that year, my boyfriend surprised me with a 'Vase Making Class' and I haven't stopped making since!
Tell us your biggest baddest dreams for your work and future! Don’t be shy!
My biggest, baddest dream for Stacey's Ceramics is to one day have a studio that I can open a few nights a week where people can come in and literally just play around . Not to teach classes per se, but just to have a space that allows people to delve into a creative outlet and build community.
If you had to sum up your business and art intro three words, what would they be?
Playful, vibrant, curious.
WORDS BY: MATILDA REID
CAPTURED BY: JAKE CAMPBELL
FIND MORE INTERVIEWS IN ISSUE SEVEN
