Biography

Kathi McLean lives in Earnscleugh, Central Otago where she has her own studio. She has worked with clay for many years finding the process both challenging and therapeutic.
“My work is often creative and free form with the firing process taking the focus or can be domestic ware for everyday home use. I have always loved the excitement of throwing clay on the potters wheel and can spend hours in my own clay world.”
Recently, after a workshop in Thesolonikia, Northern Greece, Kathi has taken on the challenge of various alternative firing methods. They include pitfiring, where one achieves the pinks, oranges and smoky blacks; smoke firing where the burnishing process is very important and lastly the exciting raku method. In raku the most important process is when you bring the pots out of the kiln red hot at about 980 Celsius and play with them achieving a variation of exciting effects.
Another aspect of my life is teaching pottery for others who think they would like this challenge.