I WAS strolling through Fremantle, past the tourists, bearded hipsters and pretty young things with deeply defined eyebrows, into a trendy little eco store to have a browse.
It’s here that I notice some stunning, handcrafted ceramics with a beautiful, natural rawness and a small sign brandishing the artist’s name – Natalie Tonkin.
Far removed from the cobblestoned alleyways and crowds of Freo, down a few back roads at Coomberdale, you will find Natalie Tonkin huddled over some clay, pinching and moulding, working on something special from her on-farm studio.
The studio’s roller door is up, so she can gaze out to the south over bushland and paddocks beyond, watching as the landscape changes with the seasons.
That view is a constant source of inspiration for Nat and she’s been using her love of the natural world to create her artwork for many years, over various mediums.
When she’s not using her hands for creative purposes, they can be commonly found helping her husband Brad on their farm, or being a mum to their two children, Holly, 9, and Sarah, 7.
Growing up in the artistic hub of Kendenup, Nat took an interest in the arts from a young age and went on to study fashion in Perth.
She worked as a pattern maker and a florist before love drew her to Coomberdale, near Moora, to live on the farm with Brad.
Nat continued to pursue her passion for the arts and she soon became involved in the local potters group in Moora.
“There were probably four really active members who they took me under their wing and I did night lessons with them,” Nat said.
“I loved it, but even back when I was growing up in Kendenup I had a neighbour who was a potter and I would go to her studio and look around.
“It was always something I wanted to do.”
Pottery was put on hold while Nat had her children, but a few years down the track she got into the swing of things and has never looked back.
With a dedicated studio on the farm, Nat can be found in there most days, working on her pottery, as well as creating sculptures and installations from recycled items such as wire and scrap metal.
There’s an impressive collection of recycled farm scrap metals piled around the studio, as the local farmers all know that their trash can be Nat’s treasure and will often drop items off.
Exactly what she is making can depend on the day and her mood, but it’s also dictated by the seasons – as Nat explained summer in the Wheatbelt is not ideal for working with clay so she tends to do more of that in the winter months.
Regardless of the medium, there is a definite style showing through in Nat’s work as she loves raw, natural materials and stripping things back to their bare form.
It’s a trademark she has become known and in demand for, resulting in her being approached to supply ceramics to the Raw Kitchen in Fremantle.
“I love working with recycled materials, I really care about the environment and I hate seeing any kind of waste,” she said.
“That’s why I agreed to supply the Raw Kitchen, because I really love their ethos.
“They sell my stuff in their little shop as well as use it in the restaurant.
“That’s the only place I am supplying at the moment, although I have had other requests, but because I hand make everything without casts, it can take quite a while to produce.
“Pottery is a really long process and because what I am making has to be restaurant-quality, it can take about five weeks for the whole process.”
Nat attends various markets in Perth and surrounds to display her work and was involved in the York Festival, hosting a hay bale sculpting workshop and selling a selection of her work at a stall at the Markers Market.
One place you won’t find her is online – although it’s tempting to open an online store, sell through Etsy or even just have a Facebook account, it’s one area that Nat is happy to keep quiet in.
“As an artist, you do have to shut down every now and again to have a break as things can get really busy,” she said.
“Sometimes the biggest challenge is giving my mind quiet time to reflect so I can develop new work.
“I don’t want to be working at a frantic pace, I want to enjoy it like I am now.
“This is how I want to live my life.”
There may be some exciting things in the works for Nat, with a series of workshops as she loves giving back to the community by sharing her skills.
“I don’t necessarily have any stand-out moments in my career – for me, what I really value is the connections I’ve made with other artists and customers along the way,” she said.
“I look at my life and what people have given to me – like the potters group – I wouldn’t be doing what I’m doing had it not been for them.
“I feel like I’m lucky to be able to give back and I enjoy doing so.”
