Falling in love with ceramics at school, for Carla Dinnage it was an easy decision to study Fine Art Ceramics at university. However, as we all know, life doesn’t always go to plan and post-uni saw Carla forego her creative pursuits to instead travel the world and work in marketing.
So when she had children and became a stay at home mum, it was finally time to get back to her passion. “While I was at home, ideas were pouring out of me, so I started to sell to friends and then I got a lot of interest from shops and art galleries. So that’s when my business was born.”
Beginning Carla Dinnage Ceramics in 2014, she offers a wide range of beautifully coloured, one-off homewares pieces. Creating everything from wall hangings to small bowls and dinner plates, they’re all hand built or hand coiled in her home studio in Melbourne. “I am the sole creator in my studio, employing a range of methods, mostly hand building and hand coiling. I used stoneware earthenware blend clay and hand paint with underglazes and then glaze fire to 1,200 degrees. I also hand roll decorative wall hanging crosses and create each individual piece with their own unique qualities.”
Inspired by her travels to Mexico, the Middle East and Europe, Carla finds the design process therapeutic and reflective. “I love to go into to my studio and get into a peaceful zone. I switch off from all the outside stresses of life and just create. I find it similar to meditation, extremely relaxing.”
With stock updated on a weekly basis, Carla is keen to push the envelope and is currently working on a new product. “My favourites at the moment are some oak framed gold lustre bowls. I’ve just created two samples which I will be promoting within the next few weeks. I love them. They are a great major piece of art to hang on your wall and I haven’t seen anything like it on the market.”