”I can’t imagine not being an artist,” says Australian ceramicist Stephanie Phillips. Having studied art at university in Sydney, Phillips majored in glass works before moving through fabric design, and mosaics, before finally discovering her future lay in ceramic art. An admirer of Miró, Hepworth, Gaudí and other greats, Phillips’ work is equal parts playful and profound, experimenting with colour and form to create pieces that are decorative and functional.
I found ceramics in 2007 and it was a hobby for a long while. Then, I started exhibiting in 2017 and it was only in the last couple of years that I started making ceramics full time.
I studied a bachelor of art at Sydney College Of The Arts majoring in glass after high school. Unfortunately writing about art was not my forte so I switched to studying different practices through Tafe (technical college) where I tried fabric design, mosaics, then finally ceramics. I have always been creative and I worked in two very creative fields—set dressing and visual merchandising.
Joan Miró, Pablo Picasso, Barbara Hepworth, Ruth Duckworth, Salvatore Fiume, Valentine Schlegel, Sonia Ferlov Mancoba, Antoni Gaudí and Las Pozas in Mexico.
I am in a shared studio space in Enmore, Sydney. The studio is half artist’s spaces and half classes, so it is always busy and loud. I have a window that looks out on a graffitied alleyway. I try to keep it organised but I often have multiple works in various stages of progress.
Marilyn Monroe because I'm fascinated by her late years. Then, Carrie Fisher and Goldie Hawn for some laughs. Lobster, pasta alla norma and champagne would be served.
I love ‘70s movies for their sets and outfits, and ‘80s noir for eyebrow raising. Unfortunately I haven’t read a book in ages, but I used to read a lot of Isabell Alende, JG Ballard and Tom Robbins.
I can’t imagine not being an artist.
I’m a Gemini. I definitely have two moods. I’m a flirt and I’m extremely good at multitasking.
