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Artist Statement
My practice is deeply shaped by the landscapes I move between — the Mornington Peninsula and South Gippsland — where coastline, earth and weather continually inform my work. My connection to clay began over fifteen years ago while travelling through Japan, where I developed a lasting appreciation for the sensitivity and material honesty of Japanese ceramics.
I work primarily with hand-building techniques — coiling, pinching and slab construction — allowing each piece to evolve slowly through touch. Using a range of mid-fire clay bodies, I embed natural materials such as sand, salt and crushed rock directly into the surface, alongside imprints from seed pods, shells and volcanic forms. These gestures create textures that hold both memory and place.
My vessels sit between the functional and the sculptural, guided by the material rather than imposed precision. Through a meditative and process-led approach, I aim to create works that feel tactile, grounded and alive — offering a reflection of the complexity and beauty of the natural world.
Theme: TRACE
Within TRACE, my work centres on the idea of imprint — the physical and emotional traces left through making. Each piece carries the mark of my hands, alongside textures drawn from the natural materials I work with, forming a layered record of process, place and experience.
I am drawn to the repeated patterns found in seascapes and landforms — the erosion of rock, the rhythm of tides, the accumulation of time. These influences emerge through coiling, carving and repeated firing, where each layer leaves behind a residue and trace of my environment.
— Natalie Cootes, Somers, Mornington Peninsula, Victoria
