In advance of Lisa Hammond's upcoming show at the Goldmark Gallery we took a look back at our original documentary on her work.
With footage from her studios in London, we filmed Lisa discussing her workplace and her philosophies as she prepares for her 2012 Goldmark exhibition.
Japanese influences at work: a British teapot meets a guinomi-like bowl
Delving into her artistic practice, the film provides an insight into the various stages that go into making her distinctive pieces. We see Lisa at her wheel throwing chawans (teabowls) and a large tsubo jar; firing and unpacking her kiln; and talking about her influences over the years, in particular her love of the Japanese pot-making tradition.
The distinctive surfaces of Lisa Hammond's pottery: small lidded jar (top); teapot and medium lidded jar (bottom)
Also captured on camera is her specialised technique of spraying soda solution direct into the firebox over a period of three hours, creating the characteristically rich and varied surfaces of her pots.
A new mini-tsubo jar from Lisa's upcoming 2016 exhibition
Lisa's recent work arrived in the Gallery a few weeks ago and preparations for the exhibition have been ongoing. As well as an extraordinary range of pieces produced in her Maze Hill studios in Greenwich (she has been setting aside the best pots of each firing for the last 3 years for this show) we've received a small selection of pots thrown, glazed and fired in Mashiko where Lisa recently undertook a residency, staying with fellow potter Ken Matsuzaki.
An Oribe chawan, thrown, glazed and fired in Ken Matsuzaki's kiln in Mashiko, Japan
Her 7-week visit was part of a cultural exchange with one of Ken's current apprentices, who travelled to work at the Maze Hill Pottery in her place, each potter sharing with their hosts their own methods and techniques with the shared goal of learning from one another.
The pots Lisa produced there using Ken's local clays and glazes are truly unique and we are very excited to see them exhibited alongside her other beautiful work.