Mud Dept: local handmade ceramics celebrating the slow life

Posted on 26 September, 2022

Lea Durie has been involved in a long love affair with ceramics—drawn towards the intimacy, connection to the earth and storytelling abilities of this ancient craft.

Lea has recently launched her online business, Mud Dept., and expanded her studio into a permanent location in Braidwood, where she creates breathtaking vessels. Fostering a love for the “slow life”, her work is a refreshing change of pace.

Lea has always had a natural affinity for creating and crafting with her hands. Intoxicated by the process of transformation, her first introduction to ceramics was as a child, where a tiny turtle cultivated a big love.

“I’ve always been a maker—but I did have this experience when I was a child, and we moved to Melbourne for a short time, and the school I went to had a ceramics studio.

“And I got to make this little turtle, and it got fired and came back. And it was just amazing, and I just fell in love with clay. And it was something I always wanted to come back to,” she said.

It’s a passion that has continued to shadow her life, as she remains captivated by the tactile nature, fluidity and mutability of clay. Now the owner of a thriving business, Mud Dept. is intimately Lea.

With delicate folds and an earth-bound colour palette, her breathtaking vessels tell a story of place and nature, a long-standing motif in her pieces.

“I have always been drawn to good modernist design and clean lines, but I also love bringing in that earthy quality and twisting it so it holds warmth and creates an invitation for use.”

“But I’m also interested in exploring how we use land and how we and the impact that that use of land might have on the environment—so it’s really trying to tell that story. And so, in making my pieces, I’m really trying to make them of the earth using a lot of texture in the process.

As you scroll through her website, this beautiful narrative comes effortlessly to life in black and mist-striped leggy pots, lichen forest break bowls, delicately-crafted mugs and richly-layered vases which are ready to hold wild native flowers.

She’s not afraid to experiment with dimension, texture, and subtle (yet perfectly suited) colours brought to light by the alchemy of natural materials. And while Lea is undeniably a master of her craft, she is always striving to improve her creative touch and play with design elements from around the world.

“I find inspiration in honing my craft and refining my skills, and just working towards getting better and better, and creating works that I can really be proud of.

“I get a lot of inspiration from other makers and other designers, and different styles in different places, like I love the Scandinavian design. And I think that influences a lot of my work. But I also really love the Japanese approach too.”

You can’t help but become reeled in by Lea’s mesmerising storytelling ability. Each vessel is an invitation to pause, reflect and take a deep breath.

“I want to bring together a story of place, and that story of creating things that come from a place. Creating a moment that is about slowing down, taking notice and living a more intentional life.”

As Lea reflects on her long love affair with ceramics, she’s excited to start bringing people into her world. On the first and second of October, she’s having an open studio, something she hopes to continue in the future.

And as Mud Dept. continues to grow and expand, Lea is excited about reaching a larger audience, with the hope one day, she too can spark the burning flame that is this magical craft.

‘Teaching is something I’m interested in doing, and I have been considering doing some workshops. I love learning, and I’m always off doing workshops myself and learning new things. And I think that once people get their hands on clay, they will just love it. I’d love to be the person that enables that addiction,” says Lea.

Perhaps there is a little turtle living within us all.