Samantha McIntyre – Birds + Bees
Artist Samantha McIntyre balances her creative focus between ceramics and painting. Her artistic eye is applied to all areas of her life; from her home and business, to her sprawling rooftop garden.
Photography: Becca Crawford
‘My desk is plopped in front of a big window that looks out at the garden, our beehives and the city, so I’m always daydreaming and watching this scene while I’m building my vessels,’ says Samantha McIntyre. Photo: Becca Crawford
Strawberry pot from The Soda Fountain. Photo: Becca Crawford
We first came across Samantha McIntyre on Instagram (The Soda Fountain) and were instantly besotted by her wonderfully (and intentionally) wonky, intricately checked ceramics.
As an artist working largely in ceramics and painting, Samantha brings her incredible aesthetic to all aspects of her life, from her art to her home and sprawling rooftop garden. Her connection to bees has encouraged her to grow flowering plants in a way that is harmonious with nature.
What sort of plants are growing on your rooftop garden?
We have an abundance of succulents and cacti spread out all over the place as well as a few pomegranate shrubs – their little red flowers have just appeared and they are so cute! There is also a lemon tree, a recently found fig tree, along with delphinium that has just flowered, and I’m trying to cultivate a new dahlia plant.
We love the notion of gardens being passed from tenant to tenant or owner to owner, each placing their own imprint on them. Did you inherent some of the garden or has it all been planted by you?
We inherited most of the garden from the owner. When we first moved in, it was overgrown with weeds. We sent her before and after pictures of my weeding escapade and she was thrilled. We’ve added a few flowering plants like easter daisies and delphiniums and lavender, and the grasses in the pond, which have seeded. We have been tending to the original garden with lots of love.
Can you offer any tips for growing in a sun-filled, inner-city location?
Plenty of water on those very hot days when there is no sun protection for your plants and always make sure there is a water source for your bees and birds.
What role do bees play in your life? How do they impact the garden and relate to nature?
Bees are very important to me, not only because they offer a vital role in the ecosystem, but also because they have become a meditative practice for my mental health. Beekeeping is always slow and considered and you have to be very present when opening a hive or you can get stung. The buzzing vibrations of these beauties among the sounds of nature and the city is very calming. I just love it, and the bees, so much.
Watching them sit on the plants in the pond – they land to drink from the plants so that they don’t drown – is very calming and a great way to remember that life isn’t all bad. We bought more flowering plants so the bees would have a local food source on the rooftop and the plants have doubled in size and the flowers come back more frequently. This is why bees are so important. They are my heroes in more than one way.
Ceramic piece from The Soda Fountain. Photo: Becca Crawford
‘This is why bees are so important. They are my heroes in more than one way.’ Photo: Becca Crawford
“Bees are very important to me, not only because they offer a vital role in the ecosystem, but also because the have become a meditative practice for my mental health.”
‘Swarms are so beautiful – it is the bee super-organism dividing from its mother hive to expand and reproduce. We love collecting swarms and giving them a safe, new home,’ says Samantha McIntyre. Photo: Becca Crawford
Samantha McIntyre in her beautiful rooftop garden. Photo: Becca Crawford
‘Never use pesticides and, if you have a sick plant, research natural methods to treat it.’ Photo: Becca Crawford
‘I’ve rearranged the house once or twice to get everything where it feels the best to me after a few weeks of imagination.’ Photo: Becca Crawford
What can we do to help keep our insect populations happy and healthy?
Never use pesticides and, if you have a sick plant, research natural methods to treat it. Always leave a safe water source out for your insects to land and drink from and plant flowering gems from both native and introduced species so your native bees and buzzing pollinators have something to feed from and pollinate. If you see a swarm of bees in spring, always call your local beekeeper and NEVER allow them to be exterminated. Swarms are so beautiful – it is the bee super-organism dividing from its mother hive to expand and reproduce. We love collecting swarms and giving them a safe, new home.
Your home is a beautiful, romantic collection of furniture, art and objects. Has much planning gone into the styling or it more an ongoing, natural process?
Some things, like our dining table and the antique cupboards, we inherited from our landlord and the rest I’ve been collecting over the years. I’ve rearranged the house once or twice to get everything where it feels the best to me after a few weeks of imagination. I suppose it’s mostly intuitive. I love having multiple places to sit or lie, and being able to move into patches of sunshine throughout the day is important to me (and my cats). Art and random objects complete not only a space but those missing places in your soul.
You’re well known for your wonderfully organic shaped vessels covered in intricate checks. The little eggcups are a particular favourite of ors (we also swoon every time we see the strawberry vase!) Can you tell us a little about your process? Does nature inform your work?
My desk is plopped in front of a big window that looks out at the garden, our beehives and the city, so I’m always daydreaming and watching this scene while I’m building my vessels. My work is very dependent on my mood – if I’m feeling flat or uninspired, I try to avoid attempting to build because I could spend two hours building a large bowl just to have it collapse, which is very demotivating. On the flip side, when I feel sad, glazing my checks makes me feel safe and light.
Who are some ceramists and artists you love?
Cy Twombly, Simone Bodmer-Turner, Cecile Daladier, Harley Weir, Anna Karina, Ruth Asawa, Salvador Dali, Picasso, Andy Warhol, Jean-Michel Basquiat x forever, Guy Bourdin and many more.
