Discover the art of handcrafted ceramics from MuDHarvest
Handmade ceramics are the beautiful result of the tactile relationship between humans and the earth, lovingly made by hand using materials from nature.
Influenced by her childhood in Papua New Guinea and her pottery hobbyist parents, Rachel Gadsden from MuDHarvest handcrafts her one-of-a-kind ceramics using the pinch-pot method. Each creation starts with a ball of clay which is flattened and pinched into shape whilst using organic textures, which Rachel sources mostly from nature, to uniquely pattern each piece. Whether it be a leaf spotted on a walk through the park, a piece of bark blown onto the front lawn, seed pods from the school grounds or herbs from the garden, Rachel is always picking up nature’s discarded odds and ends and reusing them to influence her handcrafted creations. Starting with English-inspired house ornaments that are available separately or set in frames, Rachel also creates small bowls and dishes as well as earrings. Creative sessions constantly give rise to new ornaments and styles, such as her range of mushrooms and tree ornaments.
The name MuDHarvest stems from a collection of Rachel’s experiences, her time in Papua New Guinea and the influences of local techniques, her collections from nature and her modern ideas, all wrapped up in her offerings available at the MuDHarvest market stall at the Newmarket Creative Markets. MudHarvest’s products are also available online via Etsy and by contacting Rachel through Facebook, but in the end Rachel believes in the tactile nature of her ceramics and encourages you to engage your senses with them at the markets or by visiting her studio.