VanillaFood custom-made reusable pottery cups just landed 🌏

We are so excited for the arrival of our reusable pottery cups by local potter Elke Lucas.

Each cup comes with a silicon lid making it perfect for your morning coffee on the go. Let’s reduce our plastic waste and take care of our planet together. 

We sat down with Elke and asked about her process and approach to her craft. You can read our interview with her below!

What do you like most about pottery?

Pottery is a very earthy, hands on craft. You are fully immersed in the material at all times whether you work on the potters wheel or hand building. It is your hands that connect with the clay and your heart with the making. I really love that connection and I love that this is an ancient art dating back to around 10,000BC.

It is practice with endless possibilities and one you will never truly master as there is always more to learn and discover.

Can you tell us a bit about what first got you into making pottery?

My first experience of pottery began when I married into a family of English potters who specialised in slip decorated earthenware on the North Devon Coast. I was fascinated and quickly discovered that I had a real affinity with clay. It was here in the busy creative atmosphere of this working studio pottery that I served my apprenticeship, acquiring the skills necessary through seven years of making, decorating and refining my own style, learning along the way that there are really no short cuts to becoming an accomplished potter.

How do you keep inspired?

I believe you keep inspired by ‘doing’ - that the main inspiration comes out of the process, but also: the world, people, environment, what we read, what we speak, what we learn, what we smell, what we eat… all of it transpires into inspiration in some shape or form and as long as you ‘live’ you’ll get inspiration. However I suppose I do get direct pottery inspiration by viewing, researching and absorbing the pottery of many Japanese and Korean potters as well as the great English studio potters.

Any advice for somebody wanting to get into pottery?

Pottery is a great skill to learn if you want to do something creative, absorbing and challenging. The best way to start is probably by attending one of the classes that are offered around the area and the country. They range from hand building classes to wheel throwing classes and once you have made a start with some of those techniques there are a number of classes on glazing, glaze technology and firing techniques out there. You won’t ever get bored with pottery, as there is so much to learn and explore.

What does your typical work day look like?

I am an early riser in our house so first up I put on the kettle and make myself a pot of tea which I have whilst reading and responding to email enquiries. After that my dog Lulu is desperate to get her long beach walk in, so we head off together to make the most of this beautiful paradise we live in. I often gather bits of plants, shells or rocks that grab my attention on the way – it could be the colour, the shape or the texture that made me stop and look closer. Once I get back it’s time for coffee with the rest of the family who have surfaced by now and making a list of the things that need doing on that day. It’s always varied; maybe throwing on the wheel or turning the leather hard work I’ve thrown the day before. Not to mention decorating, glazing and packing kilns and there is always the dreaded cleaning up which seems to be a task that never ends! Towards the end of the day I often have to pack up orders and get them ready for the early morning courier pick up sending them out into the nation and the world.

What do you like most about living in Noosa?

I LOVE NOOSA! We moved here nine years ago and I still feel incredibly lucky every day that we have landed in such a beautiful part of the world. I grew up a 12 hour drive away from the nearest beach and to be able to just walk down the road and have one of the most pristine beaches at my doorstep is a daily joy for me. I love the whale seasons when you can watch these magnificent creatures off the beach as well as the regular sightings of dolphins and the local Brahminy Kites and the occasional Sea Eagle soaring above us – I love it all! How good is it to actually live in a place where the rest of the world wants to come on holiday.

You can purchase our reusable pottery cups from our either VanillaFood cafe. 59 Rene Street, Noosaville, QLD & 2/10 Lanyana Way, Noosa Heads, QLD

Follow Elke Lucas on instagram at @elkelucasceramics