Porcelain Bear

Driven by a shared passion forf ceramics, this talented duod explore the strength anda delicacy of porcelain

Gregory,G how did Porcelain Bear begin? In 2010, the Porcelain Bear label was conceived, intended as a sub-brand. That year, Anthony started to spend time in my studio. We used to chat about life and listen to music and he was really the only person I’d allow in. He was fascinated by the process – making moulds and slipcasting porcelain – and offered to assist me one day a week. Over the next few years, one day grew into more and we left my studio in North Melbourne, moved to our current studio and Anthony came on full time. We used the name Bonasera Ceramics, but switched to Porcelain Bear in 2014. What’s the significance of the name Porcelain Bear? The polar bear is a beautiful analogy for porcelain in that they’re both dignified – they have integrity, beauty, strength and they are products of nature and evolution but, if not cared for, there’s also a fragility. The second meaning, and most people really love this one, is that in the gay community, bears are a gay subculture – bears are larger, hairy and usually bearded gay men – we’re both bears. Anthony, can you tell us about the studio? We work from our studio in Melbourne’s inner north. It inspires us because it is us. Our atelier is a testament to all that we have achieved and all that we aim to achieve. We’ve put our heart and soul into our studio – it’s our home. Gregory, why is porcelain your material of choice? I’ve been working with it most of my life. I think its inherent qualities are very seductive: its permanency, its translucency or opacity, the shine of a glossy glaze revealing the beauty of the porcelain sealed inside, its mouldability, if I can make up a word. It’s so easy to form and control once you understand its limitations. Every time the kiln is unloaded, I ring the larger pieces like a bell by hitting them with my knuckle. It’s not only a beautiful sound: it’s a health check telling me if the kiln has reached temperature. I haven’t yet grown sick of this sound and I will love it until my last day on earth. Anthony caught the porcelain bug from me – I think my love was infectious. Anthony, are the pieces made by hand or machine? Does each piece incorporate both modes of creation? There are no machines involved. We use the method of slipcasting, which dates back over 300 years. This process involves liquid clay being poured into moulds made from plaster of Paris, which gives us the ability to create highly detailed pieces. Although the objects are not hand built, they are handmade. Every process, from mould making to casting and tidying the objects as they come out of the moulds, is done by hand. Gregory, what is your key focus when creating your pieces? Timelessness and using the best materials on offer. We don’t cut corners, ever. Porcelain is fired to 1300°C, meaning that anything we make is of the best quality possible in domestic ceramics and will be around for a really long time. We’re not about fashion.