Aditi Rao on the power of ceramic making
From being a nurse in the operating theatre, to crafting ceramics in her inner-city Melbourne apartment, creating with clay serves as both a creative outlet and healing modality for Aditi Rao.
Hello, who are you?
Hi! My name is Aditi and I am a Indian-Australian ceramic artist from Melbourne, Australia. I recently got married to my high school sweetheart and we live in a small apartment near the city. I’ve always been a creative person who has loved anything arts and crafts ever since I was a child. I’m passionate about mental health, a big advocate for journaling and meditation, an amateur yogi, tea addict, and I’ll eat almost anything if there’s cheese on it.
When and how did you get started with ceramics?
I actually come from a very different background that is far from ceramics or anything artistic – I have a Masters in nursing and worked a registered nurse in an operating theatre throughout most of my working life. Even though I had some fascinating experiences, I felt that nursing really wasn’t for me and I found that it was beginning to impact my mental health. After some years of trying different areas within nursing, I decided to leave the profession and went travelling. Upon returning home to Melbourne I tried many different areas of work for the sake of exploration, and during this time I also did my first pottery class! I’m not sure exactly what prompted me to try ceramics, but throughout my life I’ve always been a creative person and loved exploring different outlets. I’ve tried everything from knitting, sewing, jewellery making, resin art, drawing, painting all the way to playing the flute and salsa dancing. I had my first ceramics class in 2017 and since then I’ve done a short course in wheel throwing and a handful of one-on-one classes in both Melbourne and Sydney. Which brings us to 2021 when I started Clay and Chai, my small business where I sell my pieces and share my self development and wellness practices along the way.
What do you love about working with clay as a medium?
The tactile nature of clay has been so healing and meditative for me, I love how easily I can get into a state of flow and pretty much forget about anything else on my mind when working with clay. I also love that clay can be both a technical skill and science, while also being a creative art form. My most favourite thing however, is the versatility of this medium – being able to make decorative or sculptural pieces as well as functional wares that can be integrated into everyday life.
How do your designs come about? Are they planned before you start making, or do they evolve organically?
My design process is something that ebbs and flows depending on how I am feeling. Up until recently I was quite spontaneous and my pieces would evolve organically as I started to create – sometimes I’d be throwing on the wheel and not know what the finished product would be until the end. However, lately I have been more intentional with the pieces and collections that I create, by creating vision boards for inspiration, as well as drawing out sketches of shapes I’d like to form and designs I’d like to paint on my pottery. I enjoy giving the pieces more meaning, plus taking the time to plan gives me purpose and direction. Personally I have found that my most favourite pieces are the ones I’ve put the most thought into.
What is your ‘reason to make’?
Creating with clay serves as both a creative outlet and healing modality for me. I create pieces with the intention of reminding people of the beauty of the world around them and also within themselves, encouraging them to be compassionate towards themselves and others.
What inspires your work?
Greenery and sunshine around me while going on daily walks
Spending time near the ocean at sunset
Warm sunny weather
Phases of the moon
The ritual of making and drinking tea
My yoga practice
Feminine energy and power of the female body
Organic and simplistic shapes in nature and in the home
The process of cooking and sharing food with loved ones
Where does all the making happen?
Most of the making happens in my tiny home studio, which is a shared space with my husband who works from home. Luckily we’re not too sick of each other yet! I regularly go to my local ceramic studio to use their firing services since I don’t have my own kiln yet, maybe I’ll buy a kiln one day when I expand my space.
What’s something you wish you knew before your clay making journey started?
I wish I allowed myself free creative expression, without putting pressure on myself to create within a certain style because it was popular at the time. This is definitely a work in progress, but I’ve come a long way as an artist and I’m becoming more confident in myself and my work every day.
What else should readers know about you?
One of my biggest goals is to use Clay and Chai to contribute to different causes and give back to marginalised communities and those who are less fortunate. During the Christmas period of 2021, I donated 100% of the sales from my Christmas decorations to ‘Emerge,’ which is an Australian charity that supports women and children escape domestic violence and homelessness.
Melbourne, Australia
