I have dabbled in pottery since school, Teacher’s College and, although I trained as a Maths teacher, as a first-year teacher I was asked to teach Art. I did this for seven years and pottery was always in the programs.
When I retired in 2015, I found out about The Busselton Pottery Group Open Day and paid a visit. I was hooked and when I discovered the slab roller the possibilities seemed endless.
After a few years I became President of the club for three years and then Treasurer. During that time, I conducted Introduction classes to pottery specialising in slab rolling techniques and glazing.
My time at the club was invaluable as I learnt and improved my knowledge of hand building, firing and glazing. The wonderful women of the club, with decades of experience, were always keen to pass on their experience.
In 2021 we welcomed our lovely grandchildren Zanthe and Otto. This is how the name Zanotto Pottery came to be.
Now I work from home with my own equipment. It is always a labour of love and with constant practise my work and knowledge are always improving.
I like to make decorative pieces for the garden including planters, hanging pots, birdhouses and mandala like plates. Otherwise, I make large platters, fruit bowls, serving dishes and trinket bowls. I also enjoy making female figurines and magnets of local fauna.
I use pattern, texture and glazing to enhance my pieces and often use natural objects such as leaves, gumnuts and shells to form continuous patterns. My glaze choices are inspired by the greens and blues all around every day!
