Advertise on podcast: Colour and Ceramics

This week Bob Acton @bobacton joined by ceramic and installation artist Heidi McKenzie, whose work uses clay and image as archive—exploring ancestry, migration, race, and belonging through powerful abstract portraiture. From Reclaimed: Indo-Caribbean HerStories to the Indian Ceramics Triennale in Delhi, Heidi’s work reminds us that ceramics can hold memory, heal, and tell the stories history forgets. Check out her work at https://www.heidimckenzie.ca/

I’m thrilled to welcome Gillian Boon to the podcast, an Alberta-based ceramic artist whose work carries the pulse of the ocean, even from the heart of the prairies. Inspired by coral reefs, tide pools, and the intense blues and greens of Grassi Lakes, Gillian’s ceramics explore movement, surface, and a deep sense of place. We talk about making ocean-driven work far from the sea, the role of teaching and community in a studio life, and how landscape leaves its mark on clay. 🎧 Listen now wherever you get your podcasts. #ColourAndCeramics #CanadianCeramics #CeramicArtists #OceanInspired #SurfaceAsNarrative #CalgaryArtists You can find her work at https://www.gillianmitchellceramics.com/ and https://www.instagram.com/gmitchellceramics/

This week I’m @bobacton joined on the Colour and Ceramics Podcast @colourandceramics by Australian ceramic artist Maricelle Olivier, whose work is deeply shaped by memory, landscape, and line. Drawing inspiration from South Africa’s Kruger National Park, a place tied to generations of family history, Maricelle meticulously draws and etches every line into her ceramic surfaces. The result is a layered, rhythmic abstraction of landscape and emotion, brought to life through colour. We talk about: • drawing as a way of remembering • surface as emotional terrain • translating childhood landscapes into contemporary ceramic language 🎙️ Now live on the Colour & Ceramics Podcast 🔗 Website Link: https://maricelleolivier.com/ 🔗 Instagram Link: https://www.instagram.com/molivier_ceramics/

Ceramic artist Shae Bishop joins me @bobacton on the Colour and Ceramics Podcast @colourandceramics this week for a rich conversation about material, curiosity, and community. Shae’s practice moves between ceramics, textiles, and the body, shaped by residencies at places like the Archie Bray Foundation and Kohler Arts/Industry, and by years embedded in craft communities from North Carolina to Japan, Turkey, Mexico, and beyond. 🎙️ Now live on the Colour & Ceramics Podcast 🔗 Website Link https://www.shaebishop.com/ 🔗 Instagram Link https://www.instagram.com/shae_bishop/

Meet Jane Sheppard, a UK-based ceramic artist whose hand-built, smoke-fired vessels echo ancient artefacts and the sacred threads of human experience. Her award-winning work blends ritual, memory, and earth-rooted simplicity—inviting us to pause, feel, and reconnect. You can find Jane via her website here: https://www.janesheppard.me/ and her Instagram page here: https://www.instagram.com/rev_jane_sheppard/

Today, Bob Acton introduces us to South African–born ceramic artist Susan Trimble who creates joyful, nature-inspired work from her Brisbane studio. After a long career in graphic design, she discovered clay in 2020 and quickly developed a distinctive practice shaped by painting, mark-making, and mentorship under artist Jane du Rand. A 2024 solo exhibitor and finalist in the North Queensland Ceramic Awards, You can find her work at https://www.susantrimbleart.com.au/ and on her Instagram page at https://www.instagram.com/susantrimble.artist/

Today, I’m excited to introduce you to Nicole Windblad, the creative force behind the Calgary Art Market. Nicole isn’t just curating a show; she’s shaping opportunities. As someone who runs one of the most respected art markets in Alberta, she understands what makes artists stand out, what helps them succeed, and yes—what can hold them back. She, and her family, have many years of experience operating this show so she has great wisdom for artists and makers of all sorts. In this conversation, you’ll hear what Nicole looks for when selecting artists, how she evaluates applications, and the do’s and don’ts every artist should know when they’re trying to secure a spot in a major show.

Today, Bob and Zana interview ceramic artist and designer Emily Holmes on the Colour and Ceramics Podcast, who joins us from Los Angeles to talk about her practice of transforming familiar, textile-like forms into ceramic keepsakes. Emily’s background in Art Therapy at the Art Institute of Chicago shaped her early relationship with clay as a tool for healing, and later led her to open her studio full-time after relocating to LA. You can find out more about Emily at https://www.emilyholmesceramics.com/ and on her Instagram page at https://www.instagram.com/emilyholmesceramics/ And more about Bob at bobactonceramics.com and Zana at https://www.instagram.com/zanaoheart/

Today's podcast introduces Peter Beard. Peter first discovered clay as a kid, and that early fascination never really left him. While studying industrial and furniture design at Ravensbourne College of Art in London, he found himself spending more and more time in the ceramics department. After graduating, he helped set up a pottery in Scotland making domestic stoneware, and not long after, opened his own studio in Kent where sculpture became his main focus. These days, Peter works from his studio in Leamington Spa, creating stoneware pieces that are both thrown and hand-built. He fires in oxidation to around 1280°C, building up layers of coloured clays and matte glazes, using wax resist and surface grinding to reveal these intricate, textured patterns underneath. He’s also worked in bronze and stone, and has been exhibiting his work since the mid-70s, both in Britain and internationally. What I love most about Peter’s approach is how design precision meets quiet emotion. Each piece feels carefully considered but deeply human. You can find his work on his website at https://peterbeard.co.uk/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/peterbeardceramics/

I’m excited to welcome Miae Kim—a London-based ceramic artist originally from South Korea. After a career in animation and VFX in L.A., she fell in love with clay at Glendale College and never looked back. Miae is known for two threads: sculptural pieces inspired by whales—symbols of wisdom and endurance—and work that blends Korean motifs and Hangul with Western aesthetics. She’s a 2024 London Potters award winner and a selected member of the Craft Potters Association. You can find her work on Instagram here https://www.instagram.com/miae_kim_ceramics/ and on her website here: https://www.miaekimceramics.com/

Today we’re stepping into the strange, beautiful world of Canadian sculptor David Altmejd. Born in Montreal in 1974 and now based in Los Angeles, David is obsessed with what makes a person a person—the body, yes, but also the mind, imagination, and whatever we mean by ‘soul.’ His figures often feel like they’re falling apart and coming together at the same time, opening little doorways into places beyond what we normally recognize. What blows me away is his materials list: clay and foam next to mirror, quartz, resin, and even human and synthetic hair. He’s just as comfortable casting as he is building through intuitive, almost scavenger-style making—so every piece feels singular, even when it echoes another. Scale doesn’t scare him either: he brings the same intensity to a room-sized environment as he does to a small bust, packing surfaces with tiny inventions that reward long looking. David has shown all over the world—most recently at the McMichael in Ontario—and he represented Canada at the Venice Biennale back in 2007. His work lives in major collections like the Whitney, the Guggenheim, MOCA Los Angeles, and the Art Gallery of Ontario. You can find his work on his Instagram page at https://www.instagram.com/daltmejd/ and his website at https://www.davidaltmejd.net.

We’ve got an exciting show today talking with the wonderful Carol Long — a ceramic artist whose work blooms with the influence of plant and animal life. Infused with joy, whimsy, and a deep connection to nature, Carol’s intricate, organic forms reflect her Kansas farm roots and a lifelong curiosity for the beauty around her. Her pieces can be found in galleries and museums across the U.S., and she’s shared her artistry in workshops nationwide. From childhood experiments with mud to internationally recognized ceramic sculpture, Carol’s journey is one of imagination, craftsmanship, and an ever-evolving exploration of the natural world. Her information can be found here https://www.carollongpottery.com/and her Instagram page can be found here https://www.instagram.com/carollongpottery/​

Today on the podcast, Bob Acton @bobacton is joined by Brooklyn-based ceramic artist Kyle Scott Lee @ceramicmeltdown. Known for his bold use of color, expressive brushwork, and inventive surface treatments, Kyle’s work bridges tradition and innovation. Over the past two decades, he’s developed a distinctive style combining classical vessel forms with vibrant, abstract design. His ceramics have been exhibited internationally, featured in major publications, and collected across the globe. Kyle is a founding member of BKLYN CLAY, teaches at GasworksNYC, and currently collaborates with brands like West Elm, bringing his dynamic vision to a wide audience. Kyle can be found on his website here https://ceramicmeltdown.com/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/ceramicmeltdown/

Today’s featured artist is Carmen D’Apollonio, sculptor who explores everything from abstraction to figuration in her ceramic practice. Self-taught in ceramics, Carmen creates sculptural lighting and vessels that fuse craftsmanship with functionality, often infused with humour. As she puts it, “My work is simple; it often gives way to humor. As if clay had its way of being, its own personality.” Carmen began her creative career as an art director for short films and commercials in the 90s. She then worked alongside artist Urs Fischer for over a decade before launching her own fashion brand, Ikou Tschuss, in 2006, combining modern textiles with traditional artistry. Since 2014, she’s been working out of her own studio in Los Angeles. Her process begins with sketching, then sculpting the clay form, allowing the piece to evolve along the way. Titles like “I Wish You Were Beautiful” and “Here Comes the Light” hint at her playful, open-ended approach to artmaking. Today, Carmen continues to create from her Los Angeles studio, bringing clay to life with humour, honesty, and a touch of poetic storytelling. You can find her work at her website here https://carmendapollonio.com/ and her Instagram page here: https://www.instagram.com/carmendapollonio

Join us on the Colour and Ceramics Podcast today as our host Bob Acton @bobacton strums up an exciting conversation with Vancouver's vibrant artist Suzy Birstein @suzy_birstein! Hold onto your mugs as we dive into Suzy's world of whimsical, figurative ceramic works and paintings. Ready for some artful chit-chat? Tune in! Check out her work at https://www.suzybirstein.com/