Bridget Bodenham Ceramics
Refined yet organic vessels inspired by the Australian bush
Australia conjures different images for different people. Locals might recall their childhood homes, tourists might think of white-sand beaches and those who’ve yet to visit the land down under might just envision kangaroos and boomerangs. Yet Victoria-native Bridget Bodenham‘s Australia is deeply personal, and she captures that sense of place in a unique medium: ceramics. Bodenham lives and works in the idyllic hills around Hepburn Springs, about an hour and a half northwest of Melbourne, and she draws on her bushland surroundings in creating pieces that are both usable and gallery-worthy.
“My influences come from my surroundings, and where I find comfort,” explains Bodenham, whose work reflects a refined, organic quality. “The tones are constantly changing in the light, creating newness; nature provides my practice with abundant richness and inspiration.” As all of her pieces are made and fired in-house, inspiration and creation are never far apart.
Shapes found in nature serve as the base for the pieces; Bodenham’s artistic interpretation is what gives each piece its heart and soul. Bodenham’s latest series integrates geometric pattern work along with contrasting metallic finishes to matte ceramic vessels. “I play with clay and intuitively develop work hoping to seek new material possibilities,” Bodenham says from her studio. “Most of the forms start on the wheel and are then altered.”
Entirely handmade with unique one-of-a-kind variations, Bodenham’s collection is available online via select stockists.
Photos by Kara Rosenlund
