Anja Penger-Onyett
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Painting with minerals and fire
As a ceramic artist I am largely self-taught, starting pottery as a hobby in evening classes over 30 years ago.
10 years ago, I decided to turn my hobby into a full-time profession.
My work is mostly thrown on the potters-wheel and then altered and sculpted. I like to make decorative ceramics either for display in the garden, on a balcony or on a patio or indoors. I also make functional ceramics, again thrown on the potters-wheel and altered to obtain unusual forms.
I am inspired by natural forms, flowers and seed-heads. When I make my pieces, I try to emphasize the characteristics of an instantly recognisable shape. For example, my poppy seed heads have large crowns which are even more pronounced by the vibrant colour of glass-frits in the middle.
I also get inspiration from my immediate environment for example the shape of my first ever handbag resulted in the line of handbag vases.
The use of white stoneware clay enables me to fire the pieces to high temperatures and it allows the colours of the glazes to come through.
All work is either fired in an electric kiln or under reduction conditions in a gas-fired kiln to stoneware temperatures. This makes the decorative pieces frost-proof and suitable for outdoors all year round.
I mix all my glazes from raw materials and the experimenting never stops!
I want to let the glazes tell a story inspired by nature, travel, landscape and environment: my way of painting with minerals and fire
As a ceramic artist I am largely self-taught, starting pottery as a hobby in evening classes over 30 years ago.
10 years ago, I decided to turn my hobby into a full-time profession.
My work is mostly thrown on the potters-wheel and then altered and sculpted. I like to make decorative ceramics either for display in the garden, on a balcony or on a patio or indoors. I also make functional ceramics, again thrown on the potters-wheel and altered to obtain unusual forms.
I am inspired by natural forms, flowers and seed-heads. When I make my pieces, I try to emphasize the characteristics of an instantly recognisable shape. For example, my poppy seed heads have large crowns which are even more pronounced by the vibrant colour of glass-frits in the middle.
I also get inspiration from my immediate environment for example the shape of my first ever handbag resulted in the line of handbag vases.
The use of white stoneware clay enables me to fire the pieces to high temperatures and it allows the colours of the glazes to come through.
All work is either fired in an electric kiln or under reduction conditions in a gas-fired kiln to stoneware temperatures. This makes the decorative pieces frost-proof and suitable for outdoors all year round.
I mix all my glazes from raw materials and the experimenting never stops!
I want to let the glazes tell a story inspired by nature, travel, landscape and environment: my way of painting with minerals and fire
