Joanna Mires
Words and Photos: Kate Rintoul
Despite working on many projects and commissions simultaneously (including two installations for Jotta at the Affordable Art Fair this week), Joanna Mires’ Woolwich studio is a place of calmness.
Made in Arts London caught up with Joanna on a sunny afternoon to find out more about her intriguing animal figures and bask in the light of her charm.
You studied at Camberwell’s prestigious ceramics course, how did you find your time there?
The ceramics course was very unique when I started, there were only five or six of us and we remained a really small group, collecting a couple of others along the way to become eight at the end.
The class was so small I think it saved me from the ‘art school thing’ we had a lot of attention focused on us so you couldn’t get distracted. Sometimes at Camberwell some people don’t even make it into the building, they’re too busy catching up and smoking on the steps and just being there. We would be in the basement studios morning to night, just working, it was a great atmosphere. There were so few of us we came a little family.
What’s been happening since you left?
I found the degree show a great experience, i spent a lot time planning the work and talking about it, all the time thinking and it all worked. The feedback and work that has come from it has been great. I really like what I do and enjoy it so its wonderful to have it supported. I’ve never felt I was good at anything so it’s been nice to realise people like my work, its great to feel something I’ve committed to is going well, it has sort of been like suddenly everyone likes you.
Though I have found ‘being an artists’ unnerving, I hadn’t expected it at all, I thought I would get a job and do ceramics later. It’s really wonderful to be able to continue making, you’re so used to thinking you will need money to live so your work has to get sidelined.
What was your path to making ceramics?
I’ve always made things and used my hands. creating work this way is very visceral, it comes from your body, I’ve touched everything and things don’t happen without you doing it.
Two years before going to Camberwell I had started a surface design course at LCC (London College of Communication) but left as I felt it was too computer based for me so I worked for a year. There was a time I debated not going back and it was tempting to just work and have money but that doesn’t make for a satisfying life so I applied and got accepted do ceramics.
Can you tell us a bit more about the wonderful animals you create?
At the start of my final project I was generally interested in second hand objects and started looking for things at car boot sales and eBay. A lot of it was plastic and really quite nasty and amongst that was a bottle that was shaped like a lamp that intrigued me. I did some research and found out the bottle was one of hundreds made by Avon between 1972 to ‘75. As I found more and began working with them I found the bottles were so much more interesting, so often when you re-cast well known domestic objects they can become bloated caricatures of themselves.
As I started creating a collection it was nice to have something to focus on and once I started looking I found so many to choose from. They are just so curious - so strange but so wonderful and I wanted more and more.
I started arranging the slip cast figures in patterns which I really enjoy. This is potentially the most exciting part of what I do, seeing the figures come together it is like a secondary transformation. I put them into these arrangements to give the idea if an owner, not to made a point. I want to make suggestions and ask people to think about the sort of objects they have collected and cared for.
Have you heard any stories from women that collected these bottles?
It was actually only quite recently, I ran a workshop for children and it was their mothers, in their 40s who had direct knowledge of the bottles, one said she remembered having them lined up on her windowsill. I really liked to hear it in that context, the bottles were produced in such a distinct period that at the degree show, people had been too young or of an older generation who knew nothing of them. It was great to be working with these women’s children and to complete a cycle of understanding. I would like to hear more of these stories, they are really touching, sometimes I think people like them in an ironic way but the bottles are incredibly charming, some have fantastic detailing.
Your work explores notions of collecting. What interests you about collecting?
While my work is highly nostalgic and sentimental I do think there is a moregeneral move to valuing objects, people are desperate to have nice things, thing’s they’ll keep, this is in part down to the recession as we don’t have enough money to buy new versions.
I think in young people there is a desire to go back to a time when things were better, not so technology based and cold.
Start your own collection of Joanna’s wonderful figures.
Looking to start a collection or just for some inspiration? We asked Joanna to tell us about some of her favourite markets and boot sales…
Columbia Road Market: Always very busy but it’s full of stalls selling plants and incredibly beautiful flowers, it’s difficult not to come away with a bunch or two. Columbia road is also lined with little shops full of old knick knacks and china which are always worth a wander, even when the flower market is not on there’s also a tasty bagel shops. If you’re in the area you should walk down to Calvert Avenue too and check out Luna and Curious, a lovely boutique selling great jewellery and ceramics.
Portabello Market: With pretty much everything possible on sale this is definitely a whole days worth of exploring the stalls. Often things are very expensive but you can pick up lovely old buttons and jewellery for very little money and, if you’re lucky, with a little haggling you can knock down the prices and take home a gem or two. I always like looking at the tiny metal war figurines and browsing [and maybe nibbling] all the tasty looking food on show.
Camden Market: If you walk past all of the printed t shirts, cheap clothing and endless food stalls offering samples of their chicken and take a wander around the stables there’s some really great vintage shops of with good quality pieces at reasonable prices. If I want to find a special dress for an occasion there’s a Japanese vintage stall with the most adorable dresses which is well worth a look if you’re small and tired of having to alter vintage clothing. There’s also some great vintage china on sale and if you check there are no chips on the bases, handles and rims you can come away with some pretty tea cups and saucers.
Wimbledom Stadium Car boot sale: I could and when I get the chance to often do, spend hours at this car boot sale which is only ten minutes away from where I live, like most car boots you have to get up pretty early but this is where I keep an eye out for old pieces of furniture to base my arrangements on, which is especially good as I can slowly take them back home with me too as long as they’re not too heavy. This place is full of all sorts of curious things, from fake limbs to the more usual car boot sale sights of old children’s toys. Keep an eye out for pretty vanity sets and side tables and always ask what prices things are, especially towards the end of the day, as the sellers want to sell off as much as they can so you can get some great pieces for low prices.
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