Focus on a Maker: Izzy Faz Ceramics
Atelier of Lyttleton Stores Cooperative stocks artisan-made wares, from jewellery to stoneware, and monthly exhibitions in our little window gallery. In Atelier everything is designed and made in Australia, if not the Blue Mountains. The closer to home the better, as we focus on the local craftsperson and local materials. Makers are hand-picked for their creativity, the skill and care they take to make each and every piece, and their preference for environmentally friendly production.
Today we’re focusing on local ceramicist Izzy Faz, whose works are available in Atelier, and feature clays, stones and glazes sourced from the beautiful environment of the Blue Mountains…
Who are you and what do you make?
Howdy! My name's Isabelle and I make things you can generally eat and drink out of, using clay. I started loving clay while I was working as a baker, and bought my first wheel off a guy on Marketplace. It was a kick wheel, so you had to kick a pedal to make it turn without electricity. I loved how physical it was. He had a studio near where I worked so we became great friends and I spent hours there drinking beers and making bowls. Now I share a studio at home with my painter boyfriend. We're in the bush with a garden and various random animals. It's really fun.
What do you enjoy making the most?
What I love about pottery is you can find it all in your backyard. The most rewarding stuff I've made is out of clay that I've dug, wet, mixed, strained and dried from our property. Clay from different areas have all sorts of different compound characteristics which makes them turn out so different. I experiment regularly with wood ash from our fireplace, mixed with clay and different things I find on walks like sandstone rocks, quartz and tree sap to make glazes. It's like discovering the alchemy of nature and there's always so much more to learn. These home dug clays and random experiment glazes usually appear in most things I make because I think they're so cool.
What do the Blue Mountains mean to you?
I lived in the blue mountains from the beginning of my twenties til the end of them. I reckon the randomness of the awesome characters that live there shaped who I am and helped me to love life. There's so much beauty there in people and the environment that's so special and rare.
Who is your maker of the minute?
I really like Melissa Weiss pottery... she makes really cool resourceful stuff, and her colours are hella vibing, but she's from America so I don't know if that counts. Otherwise probably @soapydishes. We've got an incredible moody painting of hers in our kitchen and she gave me an excellent tattoo.
