Georgia Casey is a ceramic artist from Tamaki Makaurau, Aotearoa (Auckland, New Zealand).
The ceramics are handmade with love in her sunny little home-studio in an old cottage up a forested mountain. Georgia’s work is supervised by her slinky greyhound, Prudence. She loves gardening, saltwater swims, and of course, potting. Georgia is in her final year of studying to become a midwife. She fell in love with clay instantly; she started pottery classes in mid 2016 at the recommendation of a friend, while researching & writing her thesis.
A thesis on what, you ask? (You didn’t.)
Georgia graduated with a Master of Arts in Art History, with studies focussed on the Early Modern developments in iconography of Susanna and Bathsheba, two biblical women who were spied upon while privately bathing and then exploited by powerful men. Throughout history, Susanna and Bathsheba’s bodily autonomy has often been visually stripped, so Georgia made it her mission to try and restore it to them by comparing a range of art by men of the era (who tended to depict women as helpless and hopeless, all while objectifying their bodies) with the work of Artemisia Gentileschi, a 17th Century Italian woman whose art reflected the abuse she suffered in her own life, and transformed it into powerful images of women fighting back against their bodies being violated. Artemis Ceramics, was named after Artemisia, whose namesake is the Greek goddess Artemis, who just so happens to be the ruler of the moon, hunting, childbirth & midwifery!
Georgia decided to study midwifery, because of her longstanding fascination with the practice and wanting to pursue a career where she could nurture, support & advocate for birthers and their precious babies as they enter the world. Making boob mugs has forged so many beautiful connections & relationships with people from all walks of life – but especially mothers and midwives! The ceramics are all wheel-thrown and hand-sculpted individually, so no two are the same – just like our bodies.
It’s Georgia's hope that the ceramics she makes will celebrate the bodies of women & boob owners, normalise breastfeeding, and adorn the homes of those who appreciate a good nude.
If you made it this far… well done! And thanks! Georgia is grateful to anyone who has afforded her a tiny place in their life. She hopes you will love her work as much as she loves making it.
‘Seen’’ by Alanna Josie, 2016.
The logo for Artemis Ceramics is based on this painting by textile designer Alanna.
She kindly made it for the inside cover of my thesis, while she was traveling in Uruguay.
It captures the moment where the woman realised she is being watched.
To see more of or purchase Alanna’s incredible work, please visit her website www.alannajosie.com and follow her on Instagram @alannajosietextiles.
