Handcrafted heart: The local partnership bringing soul to Café June
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Is there anything more comforting than curling your fingers around a warm, beautifully crafted ceramic mug on a chilly winter morning?
It’s even better when that mug comes with a beautiful story of local connection.
If you’ve stepped into Braddon’s Café June recently, you’ve probably spotted their gorgeous custom pink and green granite scalloped mugs served with your coffee or tea order. They’re the result of a special collaboration between Café June’s owner, Komal Khubani, and local ceramicist Flynne Tytherleigh.
When Komal set out to redesign her café space (which you might remember as Elemental), she wanted to create a warm, community-focused sanctuary. Naturally, generic tableware simply wouldn’t do: she needed something with soul to complement their cosy interiors and range of Adore Tea.
“I discovered Flynne’s ceramic designs on social media and reached out to her to see if she could make me some mugs for the café to match our interiors, which could also be available for customers to purchase and take home,” Komal says.
“The mugs were the perfect finishing touch.”
For Flynne, shaping these pieces is much more than just a craft. She originally turned to the pottery wheel as a creative outlet and a therapeutic escape from the chronic pain of endometriosis.
She says the calming process of turning clay in her tiny balcony pottery studio in Griffith allowed her to channel her energy into creating something tangible.
“I wanted to explore non-medicinal avenues, and I wasn’t one to keep still, so I tried pottery,” Flynne explains.
“It helped me relax and the pain became secondary. It’s bloomed into a little business now; I do quite a few corporate orders with custom mugs that say ‘personality hire’ or ‘in retrospect, yikes.’ People just love handmade gifts.”
Café June’s owner, Komal Khubani, and local ceramicist Flynne Tytherleigh.
Balancing her studio time with a day job as a public servant, each of Flynne’s pieces is a true labour of love. Bringing the Café June vision to life was no small feat, but one she was passionate about fulfilling.
“For Café June, I made 20 mugs over a long weekend which turned into five days straight,” Flynne says. “I used kiln firings, underglaze, shaped them with an angle, added the scalloped edging and hand-wrote ‘June’ on each one to create a unique look.”
“It was important to me because I really want to support small business, and I also just loved the vibe at Café June; with their flowers, art and cosy interiors, it felt like I was stepping into my older sister’s kitchen. It was clearly a space Komal had poured her heart into.”
For both women, the partnership represents the very best of our local creative community.
“There are so many creatives in Canberra, whether they do it as a side hustle to a corporate job like me or full-time, and this shows you can do both,” Flynne says.
“I think this also shows there’s so much support and collaboration in this city, which is so important during these tough times.”
Check out Flynne’s creations on her Instagram page: @madeby.flynne or discover Café June: @cafe_june_cbr.
