Focus on artist Lisa McCabe of Coranny Forest Pottery

What is your artistic background? Are you self-taught or did you go to art school/do courses?

I am mostly self taught. I found ceramics when I was 12 years old in high school, and I went as far as I could there. Then I took a course in New York at a place called Mud, Sweat and Tears and it was the best, most exciting [experience].

'Sally' small sculpture platter 6in

When my son was born, I kind of got off a little bit from there. I just kind of dabbled with clay, it never left my life but I wasn’t in it as strong as I could. When I came to this country, I [missed working with] clay but I couldn’t find anyone around here [running a course].

However, I did find a course in Cornwall with [potter] Seth Cardew, Michael Cardew’s son. I thought that was exciting. I went to that but it was mostly for housewives who wanted to have a little bit of creativity so it wasn’t as intense as I needed it to be. So I came back to my life and then I took another course.

I was always dabbling, taking little courses here and there, but no one could give me the intensity I needed until the Arts Council gave me grants.

Coil built vase 13in x 10in

I was able to take a residency recently, which was magic. I was surrounded by potters and I had an intense teacher.

She was a driving force and that was exactly what I needed. I needed lots of time dedicated [to my art], and I needed to be surrounded by other people who spoke my language. So I think this has really opened me up.

Emergence sculpture 15in x 14in

That’s my training. I did also take a course at the Tech [South West College], the art and design foundation course. That was the only [formal] art training I had and that was brilliant as well.

What inspires your art?

I am mesmerised by plants. When they are first coming out in the spring and the birds and the little flowers are all coming out, I always try to capture that somehow in clay.

Hand built Monoprint bowl 10in x 6in

I like things that look antique, or ancient or rustic, so I’m exploring textures in that way.

Who or what are your major influences?

There are a few artists that I like to follow on Instagram that I find very inspiring. There’s one called Jena Bedson, she’s in Australia and the other one is in Australia as well, Clare Unger. I like their styles.

One is delicate and one is rustic. It’s a weird combination, but I like my my pots to have a kind of weight about them, and a kind of solidity but I really am only just beginning to find myself.

Monoprint mini plaque 3in x 1in

Is there a specific place that you do your art?

Yes, I have a studio here in Coranny. I work in conjunction with Sliabh Beagh Arts and I’m funded by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland. They have been so supportive and so brilliant in passing out these grants.

I can’t encourage people enough to reach out to them, they’re very supportive and generous, for lack of a better word. I was able to warm up my studio so that I could work more intensely and that has been brilliant for me.

Monoprint wall platter 7in

What has been your most ambitious piece to date?

My most ambitious vision piece hasn’t begun yet. I have it in mind, but it hasn’t manifested yet, but I’m close. I did a kind of prototype and I call it ‘Emergence’. It’s this otherworldly kind of creature emerging from an old skin, an old self, which is how I felt at the time so I find it ambitious because I needed to create in clay like the [shedding] of a skin. I wanted it to look like it was a cloth coming off, a birth kind of thing. That was definitely my most ambitious.

Saskia Vase

How would you describe your artistic style?

My style is kind of rustic. I like to show the clay itself, the beauty of the clay itself, and the possibilities of glazes. So it has a delicate side to it but I would say it’s more rustic, usable. Sometimes tribal, it depends.

A kind of Shamanic kind of outlook where nature and what you would use in nature are part of the creation.

Stacking Bowls

What does your art mean to you?

Right now, it means everything to me. Because for a long time I was searching for my purpose. I think maybe we all go through this [questioning of] ‘what is my purpose?’ ‘What am I here for? ‘What is my contribution to life?’ And for the longest while I would kind of recite this, and I think it became a little prayer that was answered.

Tea Bowls

I didn’t know this before, but it was here in front of me all the time. So I’ve always had my ceramics but I never saw that as my purpose.

I swear it was like an answer to a prayer and it became possible because it was like a godsend. You know, a whisper: ‘This is your purpose. Make it happen’.

Various Mug