Mindful Making with Lauren Siemonsma
Lauren Siemonsma is the founder of Ochre — a ceramic homewares and jewellery brand, lovingly handmade on the Northern Rivers of Byron Bay.
Words: Cardia Speziale I Photography: Hande Renshaw
Inside Lauren Siemonsma’s light-filled studio, where she also hosts workshops.
‘It’s the community that influences me most, and the love of creating for them,’ says Lauren Siemonsma.
The Hazel Lamp from Ochre.
‘The love of nature has informed my practice – I don’t like things too ‘polished’… I love organic forms and textures.’
With an artistic practice born from a love of placemaking and community, Lauren Siemonsma started working with clay six years ago whilst temporarily living in South Australia with her partner and now soon to be father of baby-on-the-way.
‘One day I just got myself a bag of clay and found that I really enjoyed the way it challenged me and continues to do so,’ says Lauren. ‘Ochre grew from a love of this earthy material, a love of making, and a very humbling realisation that people seem to like the pieces I create,’ she adds.
The couple soon moved to Melbourne where Lauren took up a shared studio in Fitzroy, before finally settling into the Northern Rivers of Byron Bay in 2021.
‘Each of these places has influenced my practice, and what I’m most proud of is that I have this beautiful community around me of people that I feel a very genuine connection to from around Australia. I have met them at markets, hosted them at workshops, made them a piece for a special occasion… they feel connected to Ochre because I was “there”, and that’s a really lovely feeling.’
The Ochre homewares collection features a range of pieces, from large table lamps to mugs that you won’t want to hide away in the cupboard. Lauren makes every individual piece by hand, via a process called ‘slab building’ that can take weeks from start to finish.
‘One day you make the piece, the next you trim it and clean it up, then there are days needed to slowly dry it out before bisque firing, and lastly, glazing before the final glaze firing,’ Lauren explains. ‘Pottery has definitely taught me patience.’
The objects Lauren creates are built more often than not with a particular earthy and textural kind of clay, which she rolls out to the desired thickness and then join sections together to layer on from there.
‘Nothing is instant, and nothing is guaranteed,’ she says. ‘But when everything works out perfectly it makes your day — even though I would have opened the kiln to hundreds of firings by now, that is a feeling of pure joy that never gets old.’
From her light-filled studio, Lauren also hosts workshops, where the community can come together to learn the skills and techniques required to make their own pottery and jewellery pieces. The Group Workshops include Clay, Wine & Cheese, Jewellery, Jazz & Wine, and Clay, Croissants & Coffee (say no more!).
‘I love teaching! I really, really do. For me it’s a chance to be with my community […] This medium has quite literally changed my life, and I know it can do the same for others. Clay can be like a meditation; it is for me… I have a busy mind and it creates calm in that chaos.’
With a baby on the way, due in March this year, Lauren’s plans for 2024 include learning how to make motherhood and Ochre co-exist. ‘This year has seen a lot of growth and refinement in my practice and I’m really proud of that — I’ve found a really lovely flow. That’s all about to go out the window but I really believe Ochre’s wings are spreading wider.’
You can learn more about Ochre, purchase Lauren’s stunning products or sign up for a workshop here.
‘Clay can be like a meditation, and it is for me… I have a busy mind and it creates calm in that chaos.’
‘There are so many ways to create pottery – the way I create my pieces is predominantly by a process called 'slab building, which is rolling out a piece of clay to the desired thickness and joining pieces together and building from there.’
‘I try to create glazes that remind people of their natural surroundings, that’s the intention behind my glazes Earth, Moss, Luna and Sky… I think it adds a grounding element to my pieces.’
‘I do have times in my practice where I feel ‘more’ creative, my hands take over and I just need to make without predicting the outcome. It doesn’t always work, but when it does some beautiful pieces are born.’
“I am someone that still shies away from calling myself an artist. Ironically the best advice I could give is you need to get out of your own way. Be authentically ‘you’ and just enjoy the process.”
‘I love the process, I love the challenge, I love the community Ochre has created and I love the freedom of working for myself.’
Lauren makes every individual piece by hand, via a process called ‘slab building’.
