Meet The Maker: Katherine Mahoney

It’s always very special to introduce a local Australian artist, and Katherine Mahoney is just that.

Tucked away at the bottom of a suburban Sydney garden, one can find established, and very talented ceramicist, Katherine Mahoney. Creating hand- thrown ceramic pieces on the pottery wheel, in a wooden cabin, surrounded by glazes, pottery tools, and pots at different stages of the making process, waiting for their moment to be fired in the kiln.

 Katherine’s love of pottery began when she one day visited her brother, also a potter, as he worked. She was in awe at what surrounded her. The beautiful hand crafted pots, the gratifying throwing technique on the wheel, the firing kilns bursting with pots of all shapes and sizes. She left that day, knowing she had found her place in the world. Katherine begged for an apprenticeship, and soon began working at Cranbrook Station Pottery for Keith Harding, as a production thrower…. And so her journey began.

It wasn’t long before Katherine and her brother, Duncan, opened their own pottery studio, Fulling Mill Pottery in Kent, England where they designed and produced a range of beautiful pottery for the home. Later, Katherine moved from Kent to Hong Kong, where her fascination for Asian ceramics became apparent. Whilst there, she began exhibiting one off pieces. She gained an international reputation for her work, and began judging exhibitions like the Hong Kong Biennial. Teaching pottery also became a part of Katherine’s life in Hong Kong, teaching at various institutions and museums.

In the nineties, Katherine made the move to Australia, where tableware became her main preoccupation, whilst still continuing to  make one-off-wheel-thrown pieces. Katherines talents are recognised by restaurants, designers, galleries, and individuals who she continues to create stunning pieces for.

The beauty of Katherine Mahoney’s work is that not only are her pieces exquisite, they are also functional. The elegant Stoneware Carafe can find its place either on the mantelpiece holding a beautiful bunch of natives, on the dining table as a water pitcher, or equally in a gallery. And so, the user then becomes the creative, they are given the ability to make each piece unique in the way in which it is used. Each piece can be recreated time and time again. The delicate Skinny Pourer can be used for milk at your afternoon tea, but it can also sit on the window sill in between uses, holding a single stem. Whilst the Ceramic Tapas dishes are beautiful on the dinner table in their traditional form, they are just as pleasing as part of a lovely vignette on the coffee table.

Katherine possesses a very considered and unique way of approaching each piece she creates. Whether its her sweet little tumbler, or unique mug, careful thought is put into what type of tea that cup may hold. Is it a delicate cup of herbal, or a white with milk and sugar.  Who will be holding the cup, a group meeting for their monthly bookclub, or a tradie who has kindly been offered a cuppa in their 5 minute break. Katherine allows for variations in form and size to allow for each tea drinker to enjoy the experience. Having a tea fascination, or perhaps obsession, herself means that each tea cup that she makes, must be made to perfection. 

We are so proud to be able to bring you Katherine’s wares, each piece as beautiful as the next.

“Inspired by a medium which is expressive and exquisite; fragile and durable, I try – through  the ritual and rhythm of wheel throwing – to create pieces that are simple, yet beautiful. I   use porcelain for its whiteness and ability to make colours sing, and stoneware for its robust durability.”   Katherine Mahoney