Able to be traced back to prehistoric times, pottery is one of the oldest human inventions and still serves prominently in everyday life across the globe today, for both artistic and functional purposes.
While pottery dates back to 29,000 BCE, Mel Brown and Erin Stedman have a much shorter history with the art form.
But they are looking forward to a long future in ceramics.
Four years ago, the sisters attended a pottery course in Wangaratta, travelling over and back together each week from their homes in Katandra and Numurkah.
They were quickly hooked.
They set about studying techniques, watching YouTube tutorials and listening to podcasts to learn as much as they could about the craft, while catching up for regular sister dates to put the theory into practice and create clay pieces together.
They dreamed of one day opening their own studio.
In December, they brought their dream to life.
Nocturne Studio, on North St in Shepparton, is not just a ceramics studio, however.
It’s also a bazaar that celebrates local artists and artisans.
Their space oozes character.
Exposed wooden beams, twinkling festoon lights above, the smell of clay hanging earthly in the air, one-of-a-kind artworks dotted in nooks and crannies, and the boldest, moodiest, yet most welcoming dark shade of blue on the brick walls that the potters painted themselves.
The front of the open-plan warehouse serves as a shop and gallery to showcase creations by several skilled artists, mostly ceramicists’, but shelves are available to any creator whose work complements the genre.
The potters take no commission from pieces sold at Nocturne Studio, rather they charge a once-off rental fee for a shelf space that’s the artist’s for a couple of months.
When The News visited, Strathbogie artist Jenny Kelly’s delightful watercolour paintings and sweet seaglass art pictures were on display.
Next to them, there were colourful creations by EarthShaped Ceramics, tiny ceramic homes, gnomes and animals by 2 Acres Pottery and handmade resin skull masks by Bueshang’s Creations.
An Urban Cottage Teas stand provided shoppers with a selection of mixtures to take home and drink from their unique mystical mugs and teapots found — or made — at the studio.
For a pair whose full-time day jobs are in the medical field, pottery gives them an artsy outlet.
However, Mel’s scientific background (in pathology) has inspired her to include a help-yourself bookshelf in the studio’s gallery that is stocked with rare books on obscure and deep-thinking subjects.
To add to their offerings, their studio area is not just for personal use.
They have started running six-week courses, where small groups meet weekly to hand-build coil pots and plates, incense holders and sculptures.
“We’re here to guide them, but we let them freestyle and build whatever they’d like,” Mel said.
“Classes are suited to people young and old; we currently have a woman in her 20s and a man in his 70s participating in the same class,” Erin said.
While the studio is only open from Thursday to Sunday due to the potters’ other working commitments, places at the potting table are limited for now.
The space will be available for other artists to stage workshops in their chosen discipline also, with Jenny Kelly running a seaglass workshop this week and another in a few weeks’ time.
The potting sisters will also run a couple of pottery workshops during this year’s Shepparton Festival, which runs from April 4 to 13.
To stay updated with exhibiting artists, classes and other news at Nocturne Studio, visit its Facebook or Instagram pages.