Heather Knight, Dahlia, large wall tile, porcelain clay, 9-inches wide, 3-inches deep
Heather Knight
Ceramic artist, Heather Knight, fuses timeless elements of the natural world with modern design to create exquisite works of art.
When Heather Knight took her first ceramics class at the age of 15, she fell in love with the genre. At first, she didn't see it as a career choice and became a professional chef instead, but it wasn't long before she made the decision to pursue a ceramics degree through University of North Carolina at Asheville.
"I spent a year after graduation studying and developing new work at Odyssey Center for Ceramic Arts. I completed an artist's residency in the teaching studio and learned from some of the most talented artists in the industry," she says. "I learned everything I could and then I opened Element Clay Studio, a group studio of my own, in 2007."
Embraced by the design community
Knight's early ceramics supplemented her income from teaching at a local museum, but in less than a year she was able to leave her teaching position after Interior Design magazine featured her work.
Interest from others in the art and design communities followed, including Elle Decoration, Rue Magazine, American Craft, and designers around the world.
"I became a production machine," she says. "But, in 2016, I took a step back from production to move to Savanna, Georgia in order to work from home and spend more time with my family."
Heather Knight with a display of her large wall tile designs
Left and Right: Heather Knight, selections of wall tiles, porcelain clay
Modern, organic ceramics
Knight is a master with porcelain, describing her style as modern, organic ceramics. "I hope to bridge modern design and the natural world by paring down the essence of each to repetitive textures and basic form," she says. Her extraordinary design and craftsmanship are seen in every piece she creates — from dishes to vases, wall tiles, and decorative objects — each completely handmade, resulting in gallery-quality work.
In our recent conversation with Knight about her art, she shared some thoughts about her work.
Where do you find the inspiration for your pieces?
I'm inspired by nature as a whole, but right now I'm focused on flowers and succulents as a basis for my wall pieces. I gather things on walks and on my travels, and do a ton of visual research on the internet to source imagery. I usually begin with an image or natural object and then I simplify and abstract the idea as I work, sometimes creating a few sketches in clay before I start a new piece.
Do qualities in the different materials you use play a role in the creative process or in the finished product?
Yes. I use both black and white porcelain clay bodies to create my wall pieces and they behave very differently, so I have to adapt my pace and approach accordingly. The black porcelain is very viscous and demands a lot more time and attention during the making process.
Also, I use a few stoneware clays as well as the more forgiving American porcelain clay body for my bowls and other tabletop pieces. The stoneware clay bodies enable me to make much larger works and take more chances, so I take advantage of that as needed, especially when trying out new ideas.
Left: Heather Knight, large coral bowl. Right: Heather Knight, small black conch bowl
How do you keep your practice fresh?
I try to squeeze in new work as time allows. The best way I have found is developing a series that I can work on in conjunction with my production pieces. I build time into my schedule to grant myself some flexibility so I'm able to switch back and forth between my personal and production work. It takes discipline to make sure I always have something I'm exploring just for myself, but over the past few years especially, I have found that building collections slowly over time has worked best for me.
Your work evokes the organic, ageless qualities of nature, but with a quiet and subtle aesthetic. Is that a deliberate choice?
It is. I want my work to be timeless and approachable. People tend to intuitively understand the visual language of nature, and even when I abstract an idea, it hits a familiar place in the viewer. I aim to create pieces that are classic and well designed, that can fit in anywhere. My personal design aesthetic at home is rooted in a soothing, neutral color palette, and timeless furniture pieces that will last forever. The basis for my studio pieces starts there. I know if they will fit in my own home, they will fit in anywhere and achieve my overall goal.
What advice would you give aspiring artists?
Take the time to find your voice and develop a cohesive body of work. Developing yourself as an artist, and investing the time it takes to do so, is something you will never regret.
See more of Knight's work at @elementclaystudio and www.elementclaystudio.com.