about us

what we do

Everything from the Australian clays to the foraged indigenous flora & waste from native fauna used in the firing of our ceramic art is derived directly from the unique Australian landscape. This means that each & every piece we make is not only made in Australia, but is literally Made OF Australia.

We forage for most of our ingredients throughout southern Queensland & northern New South Wales (on the East coast of Australia) & collect other organic materials from contributors all over the country. Using our signature Saggar Firing process to harness the elements of Earth, Water, Air, & Fire (& maybe a little Aether…) we create colour, pattern & texture on our ceramics using nothing more than the naturally occuring oxides & minerals in our ingredients. It is pure alchemy, & as such, no two Made OF Australia works of art are alike, each piece is as unique & individual as you are.

All our work is unglazed, including our tableware, but sealed with Liquid Quartz, a water based coating employing revolutionary technology to ensure food safety & stain resistance. So while our work looks & feels as raw & natural as Mother Nature herself, it’s also pretty high-tech.

history

Made OF Australia is a concept first conceived directly at the potter’s wheel by artist & designer Anna-Marie Wallace. While learning to throw with her first mentor, master potter Ray Outteridge, she realised that the work she was creating was literally a piece of Australia, formed from Australian Earth & then fired with native flora & waste from indigenous fauna. After several months of refining the concept, in September 2012 Made OF Australia was officially founded & for the first 6 months worked out of a community studio with rented equipment & space with the help of a RADF grant (Regional Arts Development Fund). From these humble beginnings Made OF Australia began its evolution; from making buttons & decorative ware, to now producing unique & coveted tableware for some of Australia’s (& the world’s) best restaurants.

location

The studio is not open to the public daily, as we are often up to our elbows in mud & can’t stop to serve you (we’d never get your pieces made!), but we open our great big roller doors to the public on  Open Studio days, so keep an eye out for dates on social media (or by signing up to our VIP mailing list).

Please get in touch to make an appointment if you’d like to come & choose your pieces in person in the meantime hello@madeofaustralia.com. There are cash & credit card facilities available.

Made OF Australia was born in Queensland, Australia; it took its first steps in Logan, grew up on the Gold Coast, then moved to regional New South Wales for about three years (Lismore & Goonengerry) before outgrowing its ability to function as a home studio & relocating to its current dedicated space in Stapylton, Queensland. Several different locations including two interstate moves, we are now poised in the middle of the green corridor halfway between Brisbane & the Gold Coast, the new studio is flanked by dairy farms & sugar cane fields, but still just 5 minutes from the M1 Pacific Motorway & an easy half hour drive from both major cities. It is easily reachable for those attending workshops & events, & more readily accessible to people who could not make the significantly more difficult trek along the perilous dirt roads to our Goonengerry studio (including couriers & delivery vans!).

The studio is located at the Mitchell ECO Industrial Estate, the first project of its kind, it is a stand-alone model of eco-industrial excellence, boasting 17 awards (so far), including the full EnviroDevelopment certification from the Urban Development Institute of Australia (a scientifically based certification system rewarding exemplary sustainable development projects). The site is almost 100% carbon neutral, has its own on-site sewerage & water treatment facilities (including a 4 megalitre rainwater-fed dam surrounded by native flora & home to countless species of indigenous fauna), & houses several environmentally conscious businesses like ours.

We look forward to seeing you at an event or workshop soon!

View our location on Google Maps

with gratitude

As a business founded by non-indigenous Australians, we take great pride in both our personal heritage & in the ancient heritage of this beautiful country we call home. We remain mindful of the fact that the Earth from which we craft our works of art does not belong to us, nor indeed really to anyone, & we graciously acknowledge the traditional custodians of this land for their enduring & gentle care of their country over countless generations. We remain humbled by our collaborations with the oldest living culture on Earth, & we thank all our Aboriginal friends, those we know & those we haven’t met yet, for allowing us to be here. With great respect to tribal elders past, present patrons, & future leaders, thank you.

more info

You can read more about our process, philosophy, & people by clicking the arrow beside the about us tab in the full drop down menu.