River Ceramics

Jolene spent more than ten years as a building designer before she took a beginners' clay class in 2018. Clay soon became her full-time work, and the designer's habits came with her. Most of what she makes at River Ceramics is meant to be used every day, and to look considered while it is.

Her studio is in Margaret River, with a view out to the trees. She has lived in the town for more than 25 years, and she names the forests and the river as what make it home. Both find their way into the work. Natural forms and light are her main influence, in pattern as much as in shape.

Her particular technique is sgraffito. A layer of colour goes over the clay, and a design is scratched back through it so the clay shows underneath. She worked out her own way of doing it, largely self-taught. Much of the tableware is thrown on the wheel in a textured clay and fired at high temperature. The coloured slips on the Colina pieces are mixed in her own studio.

The shop is arranged in collections. Colina is block colour in blues, greens and earth tones. Hana carries hand-painted black designs in underglaze, with a satin matte glaze around them. Boheme and Moonglade complete the tableware, alongside teapots, jugs and small pieces. There is wall art too: a series of woodland creatures, and a Magpie Series of clay wall pieces showing the magpies that live around her property. The Magpie Series also comes as limited-edition paper prints.

The work has been noticed. Jolene won the Margaret River Art Prize in 2022 with a framed wall piece called Karri, and she has written for The Journal of Australian Ceramics.

Everything is made in small runs. The online shop is restocked two or three times a year, and the maker says most pieces sell within a couple of days, so expect to find some things sold out. She takes custom orders for matching sets of four or more. There is no shopfront, but she runs clay classes in Margaret River and joins the Margaret River Region Open Studios in most years. Check the maker's site before visiting.