In his Northland studio, Mark Mitchell crafts ceramic pieces that use pattern to create illusionary planes. While it’s tempting to classify them as bowls or vases, Mark prefers to call them vessels, an open-ended term that leaves room for the viewer’s imagination and interpretation. “I think the idea of art is that it’s not closed off and it’s a good way to approach it and not be so specific,” says Mark. “I like that people can bring their own experience to the work and everyone will see something different in it.” So, each work is unique? Yes, but no: each piece references fragments of Mark’s 30-odd years of working with clay including overseas residencies in China and Japan. “There’s always a sort of a continuum. There’s an idea that originated at some point but then it progresses along a conversation that has been taking place for 10 or 20 vessels,” he says. This common thread winds not only through the vessels but also Mark’s geometric sculptures and his range of domesticware (selected by Fiona Smith for her feature ), and wall pieces that combine elements of clay, metal and glass.

Mark’s unusual pairing of ceramics with glass is currently feeding into his exploration of ideas of translucence, alongside experimenting with opaque colours to create deep, limpid finishes. It’s an art form that throws up a host of contradictions: there’s the precision of Mark’s geometric forms and regular patterns against the uncertainty of kiln firing with its moments of serendipity and possibility of destruction (a loss rate of 30-40% is not uncommon); the earthiness and heft of clay and the delicacy of soft patterns and gold or silver leaf; the sharp-edged sculptural forms that have been inspired by the patterns of nature. markmitchell-ceramic-artist.co.nz TRACY WHITMEY