Jo Schoenmakers

Working with porcelain is always an adventure and continues to surprise me. Taking advantage of its whiteness, transparency, and typical skin

Q&A

Artist Statement

From my background in sculpture/ceramics the material porcelain had my interest the most. Right from the start i was focussed on making an applied product and searching for the ultimate limit in this.

What craft do you work with?

Trained as a sculptor and worked for 15 years at MOSA Porcelain as a designer/modeler In fact, everything is very interesting in this profession. Initially, the model in plaster, which is ultimately translated into porcelain, remains fascinating.

What inspires you to work with this craft?

It fascinates me every time to apply the knowledge I have acquired by MOSA Porselein , which risks being lost if we do nothing.

How do you start your creative process?

The process can arise spontaneously with everything I see, record and then visualize. Other ways include working on commission or from a concept.

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

My space is separated into a plaster workshop and the space for working with porcelain and the gallery. For the gas oven. I built a separate small house.

Are there new techniques you would like to try?

A design regularly requires a different approach and therefore a new technique/making method. Just trying out a new technique can be interesting, but it has not always a good connection with my work.

What have you learnt or the best advice you have received that you would like to share with fellow crafters?

Follow your path, but don’t always look for the fastest and easiest way. Make notes or sketches of inspiring moments during the process. They could just be your next design.