Moraig McKenna
My practice is informed by the long and variant history of ceramics for use. The processes and results of wood firing and salt glaze excite me and I draw inspiration from wood fired ceramic traditions in cultures such as Japan, Korea and China.
My work is hand built using slabs or wheel thrown and altered. I love to play with functional elements like rims, spouts, handles and feet. The surfaces are textured to provide more variation for the interplay of wood, salt and glaze. It is important to me that through the construction the imprint of my hand is evident in the finished work. These marks become a point of connection between my hand as the maker and the hand of the imagined user.
I have been working with wood firing for almost 30 years. For the last 10 years I have also become interested in salt glazing with wood firing. I gained a Master of Arts by research in 2001 and developed a porcelain style clay using Australian materials specifically to use in wood firing. Since that time I have continued to research porcelain in wood firing and it remains a rich source of interest in my practice