I discovered this space in 2021 when I decided to open my own studio. It had been empty for over 15 years. We removed the existing walls, and I asked my friend Till Maciejewski to build a clay room at the front. Within a week, he transformed the cold, hard walls into a warm clay cave. It was impressive to watch him work on this project with such dedication.
Next, we built the first shelf, a concept I had envisioned for a long time. I enlisted the help of my friend Jos Trautmann to plan and construct it. He prepared the wood beams, and I handled the steel. The goal was to have the shelf and clay walls ready as part of my final exam project. Initially, building this space as part of my art practice was an emergency solution, but it now makes perfect sense. Hosting and creating a space for others has been a significant part of my creative practice for a long time, and it feels natural to manifest it in such a beautiful way.
The shelf has proven to be an excellent modular and practical working space. For a potter's practice, it is very useful to move each shelf board around. This flexibility allows us to easily transport pieces to different rooms at various stages of the process, such as glazing or firing.
For my final exam, I invited family and friends to join me in unpacking my work and placing it on the shelf. This was a truly wholesome moment and a beautiful way to conclude my time at art school. I felt supported and encouraged by all those loving and proud eyes. I'm glad everything happened the way it did.