about

Simone Kentley is a Melbourne based ceramic artist making handbuilt functional wares from her home studio. Pottery is a much loved creative and meditative practice for Simone, in between her time caring for her two young children and working as a primary school teacher.

Simone’s ceramic practice channels her love and appreciation of nature for its immense beauty and capacity for sustaining, restoring and healing. Many of her pieces are handpainted with Australian natives, loved for their strength and striking colours and textures. These detailed underglazed pieces are complemented by a more organic range of functional tableware and vases that are glazed simply to highlight the tones and textures of the natural clay body and the blooms placed within.

A vase may sit beautifully alone, but might also encourage you to look more closely as you go for a walk so that you might fill it with a spring blossom or some winter wattle. Each piece is formed by loving hand in the hope that it might one day find its way to your home and add beauty to your daily rituals.

Please get in touch if you would like to visit the studio or discuss potential projects or orders.

“Therefore let the moon
Shine on thee in thy solitary walk;
And let the misty mountain-winds be free
To blow against thee.”

William Wordsworth

“Instructions for living a life.

Pay attention.

Be astonished.

Tell about it.”

Mary Oliver

“A thing of beauty is a joy for ever:

Its loveliness increases; it will never

Pass into nothingness; but still will keep

A bower quiet for us, and a sleep

Full of sweet dreams, and health, and quiet breathing.”

…”yes, in spite of all,

Some shape of beauty moves away the pall

From our dark spirits.”

John Keats

Sustainability

Being as sustainable as possible is hugely important when running a small business. I am conscious that ceramics involves materials sourced from the earth and uses a reasonable amount of energy to fire work, and to fuel the delivery process. I am committed to reducing my carbon footprint as much as possible through the following practises.

Recycling Clay

All offcuts of clay and slop are reconstituted in water, dried on a plaster batt and then wedged, ready to be made into a new piece. Water usage is kept to a minimum as a three bucket system is used for cleaning.

Reusing Packaging and choosing Eco products when buying new

I reuse packing materials from deliveries to my husband’s and neighbours’ businesses so as to reduce waste. These materials can include plastic such as bubble wrap, which can be recycled in a soft plastic collection site at major supermarkets. When materials are not available for reusing, I will choose eco packaging materials.

Efficient use of the kiln

Always firing a full kiln ensures maximum efficiency and reduces the regularity of firing.

Offering free Contactless Pickup

People in Melbourne can pick up their order from my studio in Doncaster East (following the lockdown restrictions at the time).