Alkimi Ceramics Studio fires up

From a young age Kristen Spalding has explored the limitless nature of ceramics, and last year traded her title of creator for teacher with the opening of her own studio.

At the end of 2024, the professional ceramics artist opened the doors to Alkimi Ceramics Studio, where she has since focused on sharing her knowledge with others.

Located on her Lara property, Spalding welcomes classes of all skill levels ranging from wheel basics through to a comprehensive program covering the entire ceramics process.

After working as a solo artist for about nine years, she was asked to teach in a different studio, where she became the manager.

 

Spalding said during that time she discovered a passion for teaching and it became what she wanted to do most in life.

“I love helping people from their very first class where they’re fumbling through it to then, you’re guiding them to create something that they genuinely love and are surprised they could do themselves,” she said.

“It’s creating a community atmosphere, it’s not just me teaching one other person, it’s a whole group of people and they chat and I get to chat with them and we all get to learn together.”

Plates, cylinders, tea cups, saucers, cake stands and more were all created as part of this term’s classes, with participants making different items dependent on the skill level of the group.

 

Spalding changes the curriculum each term, ensuring people can come back and learn something different every time.

Surrounded by windows and natural light, the studio is tucked away at the base of the You Yangs, transformed from a small house into a place where creativity can flow.

“It’s definitely a warm and welcoming environment, no intimidation at all, so people who are very new and have never done it before are made to feel very at home and welcome,” Spalding said.

“There’s no pressure put on the students, they can muck around if they want, they’re free to just play with the clay if that’s what they want to do.”

 

Spalding hopes her studio enriches the community and is a place where she can bring learning to Lara, creating an art culture and for people to establish more of a connection with others.

“Lara is no longer just a small country town that’s off the outside of Geelong, Lara is now big enough to have its own heartbeat,” she said.

“It’s nice to now connect with people who are essentially my neighbours in Lara and have somewhere that they can go that’s local to learn.

“There’s a whole spectrum of people who come to these classes and they’re all welcome and they’re all very friendly and they’re all here to have a bit of fun.”

Spalding was introduced to the medium by her grandmother Dorothy, who ran the Lara Pottery Club through the 1970s and 1980s.

Throughout high school, she spent her time in the ceramics department and was inspired by her teacher to study art, which she continues at university.

 

After taking a break from the craft, she went back to it once she had children, and as a solo artist was focused on creating pieces to sell.

“I used to create to make money, that was where my mindset was for a number of years,” she said.

“Now that I’m teaching my own personal work, I’m given the freedom to step outside and experiment and play around with different styles.”

Spalding said ceramics suited her personality, allowing her to experiment with a range of different processes and not having to lock herself into one.

“There’s so many different directions you can go with ceramics; after doing it for so many years, I still haven’t learnt everything, and I probably never will,” she said.

 

“It’s something that I will continue to learn and develop for the rest of my life.

“When the students come in and they create, often it’s things I would never have thought to create myself or different glazing techniques I would never have thought to do myself.

“I’m still trying to find my style, I haven’t got a set iconic look that people would recognise as my work.”

Understanding that people can feel vulnerable when creating art, Spalding is committed to building a space where people do not feel intimidated and are comfortable.

As the artist continues to operate her one-person business, she aspires to bring out the artist within and share her personal experiences with students.

For more information, head to alkimiceramics.au or follow the studio on Instagram @alkimiceramics