Cameras out and ceramics in

From her tranquil home studio in the bushland of the Surf Coast, photographer Lauren McQuade turned her hand to creating beautiful ceramics.

A professional photographer by trade, McQuade traded in her cameras during the pandemic and has since focused on ceramics as her full-time career for the past two years.

McQuade specialises in making handmade ceramics including bowls, plates, cups and platters with clays sourced from across Australia and makes most of her glazes herself at her Bellbrae studio.

She said while she finds a bit unnerving to broadcast her work to the wider community, she can’t wait to open up her “sacred space” for the very first time during the upcoming Surf Coast Arts Trail.

“I’m very much looking forward to it.

“The opportunity to see where local artists’ creations have come from is very cool.

“I love where we live and am excited to show people where I spin the wheel and have the kookaburras and kangaroos going crazy in the background.

“Being in the bush makes me happy, when you’re here you can breathe, and I hope others feel it too when they come out here.”

McQuade said her newfound “obsession” with ceramics started unassumingly during the pandemic.

“I’m a professional photographer by trade and when COVID hit, I went from having lots to do, to having nothing at all.

“I wasn’t using my hands and I obviously used my hands all the time for my photography.

“I had this idea of going and doing a ceramics course and I finally bit the bullet and booked in.

“It was the most amazing thing ever, I just went into the zone and thought I’d love to do it for a living.

“I can’t explain it, it was an obsession from the moment it started and just grew from there.”

McQuade said the thought of turning her love for ceramics into a full-time job went from being a pipe dream to being a reality in only a short space of time.

“I did my internship and classes in Geelong at Studio Made in Newtown and then began working for myself.

“My whole concept of taking this on was to hopefully slow down and watch my one-year-old grow up.

“I want to find a life/work balance and doing this gives me it.

“I’m so proud of myself to go from having this as my dream during the pandemic and to have it happening is just amazing.

“I’m so lucky.”

McQuade said the response she received from community members while at markers and events on the Surf Coast gave her enough confidence to enter the Surf Coast Arts Trail.

“I started a stall up at the Cowrie Market in Torquay early days and thought I’d see how I went.

“It was so flattering how much people loved my pieces.

“I love all of my works, so when people gave me confidence, I wanted to showcase it on a wider scale.

“To feel I can do design something beautiful and special for someone is pretty cool.”

McQuade said the long-term goal of her work is to begin running small classes, so she can pass on her knowledge to people in the community.

“Ultimately, I want to invite people in to work in my space.

“I want to start teaching people in small groups.

“I don’t feel like people can get enough attention when there is ten or so people, so I want to do a maximum party of two.

“It’ll be all about giving them the opportunity to create something they are really proud of.

“A wonky cup is a great start, but if you put the time and effort in with someone then there is no reason, they can’t make something really special.”

McQuade said during the Surf Coast Arts Trail, she will be letting attendees know she is happy to take on clients for classes.

Local people venturing out to Bellbrae will be able to make small pinch pots and other small ceramics with McQuade to get an idea of how the full ceramics process works.

To see some of Lauren McQuade’s work, head to laurenmcquade.com.au

For more on August’s Surf Coast Arts Trail, head to surfcoastartstrail.com.au