Ella Reweti
In their house by the creek, ceramist Ella Reweti lives with her partner and two-and-a-half-year-old son, where she launched her design practice in the garden between nap time and daycare.
Words: Emma-Kate Wilson I Photography: Lilli Waters
Ella Reweti’s ceramics, in all their stages, line the shelves of her studio. Photo: Lilli Waters
‘Bit by bit, more stockists became interested in selling my work, and from there, other opportunities have presented themselves that push my practice further and validate new ideas,’ says Ella Reweti. Photo: Lilli Waters
Based on Wurundjeri Country by the creek in Melbourne's Northcote with her partner Huw and two-and-a-half-year-old son Hemi, Ella Reweti moved from Perth in her early 20s, where she discovered a community of like-minded, creative friends and extended family. 'There is always something interesting happening here, even if I don't get a chance to participate as much as I used to before having a little one,' says Ella.
In their beautiful rental, found and treasured objects and art adorn the shelves and walls, frequently moving around the home. 'Almost all of our furniture is made by my partner Huw to fit the space, so we’re lucky to be able to 'customise' our rental in that way,' Ella shares. 'Our ultimate goal is to build our own house one day!'
Having Hemi helped bring Ella's practice to fruition as she found the time to work on her craft in the garden while he napped during the day. 'As he grew and eventually started to go to daycare, I got more time and the business grew too,' says the designer. 'I never, ever thought that would be possible, and it hasn't been easy, but I'm so grateful that I was able to hang out with him during those first precious years rather than having to return to a job when he was six months old.'
In her work, Ella is influenced by industrial, architectural forms for her brutalist-inspired slipcast ceramics—constructing vessels, tableware, planters, and bespoke art pieces. Using moulds for its return of interesting shapes, the objects evoke organic materiality seen in nature and the built environment. 'My corrugated range of work draws from the Australian industrial vernacular, in particular, but I also love the modern and brutalist periods of architectural design,' says Ella.
Studying on and off throughout her 20s — first journalism and then anthropology, going as far as beginning a PhD thesis — Ella got a part-time job studio assistant with a ceramicist. '[Here], I learnt mostly about how the backend of a design business works,' the designer shares. 'While doing that, I had my own studio where I did experiments and eventually landed on the design I make now — all a bit accidental, really!'
Ella Reweti is influenced by industrial, architectural forms for her brutalist-inspired slipcast ceramics. Photo: Lilli Waters
“It wasn’t until having Hemi that I (paradoxically) found the time to do it — I no longer had to work for other people or hold down a string of hospitality jobs to pay the rent. While I was home with Hemi, I made things in the backyard while he napped during the day.”
‘I love clay and chose slipcasting specifically because of the interesting forms you can achieve by using moulds – also, I never learned how to use the pottery wheel!,’ says Ella Reweti. Photo: Lilli Waters
Ella Reweti’s ceramics, in all their stages, line the shelves of her studio. Photo: Lilli Waters
“My corrugated range of work draws from the Australian industrial vernacular, in particular, but I also love the modern and brutalist periods of architectural design.”
‘For years I used to work between two studios (my proper studio and my backyard studio) and would make the majority of my work at home and then have to transport everything to the studio to fire it. This was perfect at the time, but I am so much more productive now everything is in one place and am grateful to now be able to switch off while I am at home and be present with my family rather than thinking about work,’ says Ella Reweti. Photo: Lilli Waters
Beautiful details in Ella Reweti’s studio space. Photo: Lilli Waters
Using moulds, Ella Reweti’s ceramics evoke organic materiality seen in nature and the built environment. Photo: Lilli Waters
A turning point in Ella's career included having an influential figure from a well-known design publication reaching out to buy a piece. 'That recognition gave me the initial confidence to keep going, which in hindsight was really important,' says Ella. Since there, having her work shared in stockists around Australia and coverage on Australia's design blogs have encouraged the designer to keep uncovering new elements of her practice.
'Most recently, I had the opportunity to collaborate on a sculptural artwork for Melbourne Design Week with Beci Orpin, which allowed me to work on something that isn't ceramic; that has really opened my mind to new processes and materials that I'm keen to pursue more of,' Ella reveals.
With Hemi at daycare three days a week and with his grandparents one day a week, Ella now has (almost) four full days in the studio without work spilling into every weekend. However, as the designer muses on life with a child, days can be 'derailed by chaotic mornings, snotty noses and having to fit in any number of domestic chores into my day.' She adds, 'in this way, it's a bit hard to get in the flow of work, which is important, but you get very used to making hay while the sun shines because you never know what's around the corner.'
Today Ella has moved from her backyard studio into an official studio, which helps carve time between home life and work life. But because her practice has been built around having a child, Ella can set realistic deadlines that account for child-related setbacks — daycare days fit around kiln firing days and a juggle with her (also self-employed) partner.
Coming up, Ella is part of an upcoming pop-up ceramics market called Three Day Clay at Studio Edwards, 28 Johnson Street Fitzroy, featuring a number of ceramic artists, including Asobimsu, Benna Co, Katie Bowman Ceramics, Oh Hey Grace, Peta Marie, Arcadia Scott and Usagi Ceramics. Perfectly timed, the markets are on for Mother's Day weekend (6th May to 8th May 8) — helping celebrate the duality of Ella's practice.
