In Conversation | Jane Burn

In the second installation of our 'In Conversation' series, Japanese trained ceramicist Jane Burn shares what inspires her creative process and how living and working on Waiheke inspires her work.

Jane Burn
Traveller... Student… Teacher... Mum… Coffee Roaster, Cafe Owner and Ceramicist
Based: Waiheke Island, New Zealand

Can you tell us a little about your background and the pathway that led you to where you are today?

Traveller... Student… Teacher... Mum… Coffee Roaster and Cafe Owner. And now a born again Ceramicist, which I first studied at Miyadai University, Miyazaki JAPAN in 1989.

Your work has a robust yet delicate quality to it whilst also being essentially very tactile… explain your process to capture these essential essences that make up your work..

It's influenced by found objects, shell or bone we find on the beach, that maybe the kids have brought home, bleached and worked losing their sharp edges to the tide.

Who are your favourite masters of ceramics and why?

There are so many... Lucie Rie - I’ve just read her biography, what an incredible ceramicist starting at an early age and working with ceramics her whole life, her style so distinct in the forms she creates and the finishes she examines, her show in the later years all in white is sublime. Also Christine Thacker, a local Waiheke artist, whose work has always been an inspiration and who continues to evolve with new techniques, I love her work, showing the skill of the hands that have made the pieces, I love that.

You not only live on Waiheke but also own a few small businesses on the island, can you tell us a little bit about how life on Waiheke inspires your creative process?

It's the environment, coastal and elemental, perhaps a little more urban now than when we came here twenty five years ago however still spots to get away from it all. Inspiration is a walk on a stormy nor' easterly day and the people that I meet at THE ANNEX and THE ROASTERY, everyone has a story to share, knowledge to give (always over a good coffee!!) inspiration all around.

If you were planning your ultimate day away from work (and with an unlimited budget) how would this look?

Are there some elements // objects from the shelter that would be on your desired list?
i.e. serving coffee in the grey handless cups, drinking an ice cold beer in the AAA SELECT paper thin beer glasses, snapping shut a super lightweight crash baggage spinner bag as you catch a flight?

A DREAM DAY: Myself and two friends take an early morning flight to Queenstown where we would have our favourite yoga teacher take us for a morning session at The Sherwood followed by massages and facials and lunch. Then fly home early evening to sit on our deck with the favourite men in my life, drinks from our favourite vineyard here on the island and enjoy a stunning Japanese meal presented on my absolute favourite An Astute Assmebly dinnerware from The Shelter. From the Hasami porcelain plate to the Aizawa cutlery, such stunning hand crafted goodness. I love it and would have everything presented on the table, dinner prepared by my mates Jen and Ants who are the best chefs in the universe, a BIG table, great food and wine with all of our friends, what a day...

What was the last thing you saw, read or heard that really inspired you?

“There are NO rules." In the Ceramics Diploma I’m studying, we are fortunate to have the most amazing tutors, one of whom we have had for the last 6 weeks in the ‘throwing’ module, Peter Collis, he is a great tutor and this little piece of advice was the incentive needed to move on, love it.