Ciara O’Keeffe

Q&A

Artist Statement

Archaeologists discover shards of pots which have been buried and forgotten for centuries. They study the pieces and jigsaw a narrative from the found item. I infuse spoken memories into clay and translate them into vessels/pots/bowls. My craft is born out of the idea, of the Irish kitchen. The centre of the Irish home. Where people would sit around the table, and tell stories over a meal. I turn their spoken word into images. I chase the ghosts that remain in the built environment when the dwellers have moved on. Archaeologists have found shards of pots in China that date back 18,000 years. They have pieced together how the pots were made and their use. What will archaeologists say when they find vessels and crafts from 2023, what stories will they tell. Will this craft have survived the test of time?My craft has survived nearly 20,000 years, its up to me and my peers to keep the magic alive.

What craft do you work with?

I went to art college to study fashion but the minute I touched clay, I was smitten. I have worked with clay every single day for the past 20 years. I am a ceramic hand builder. I also throw pots on the wheel but my first love is building and creating with my hands alone.

What inspires you to work with this craft?

I’m passionate about the fact that my medium comes from the ground. The smell of the clay is pure earth. Being capable of creating objects of function and beauty from this very basic medium always blows my mind.

How do you start your creative process?

My process is very organic. I enjoy all aspects of my craft. However I sometimes have to pray to the Kiln Gods that my work survives the firing. On the odd occasion the kiln might overfire or under fire. Sometimes an air pocket could be trapped and causes an explosion, but that’s the joys of working with clay.

How would you best describe your workspace and what tools could you not do without?

My workspace is a small wooden cabin in my back garden. It is filled with clay and glazes. There are paint brushes, rolling pins, weighing scales and tools all neatly placed on my workbench. Every morning I enter my workshop, I light my favourite insence, turn on my favourite murder mystery podcast and work happily until my kids come home from school or need food!!!!!