She Had To Bend Over To Get Into Her First Studio | Harlinah Teoh

Harlinah Teoh | Episode 1128

Harlinah Teoh creates botanical ceramic art based on the plants she encounters while hiking in the Australian landscape. Born in Sydney, Harlinah lived in Darwin, Tokyo, and Singapore before making her home in Melbourne. Harlinah took up ceramics in 2019 and three years later shifted her work and lifestyle to focus on ceramics and hiking.

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Do you feel that creativity is both intuitive and execution so that it won’t come out unless you are working on it?

I think as a creative person that you feel it and I think that everybody has got creativity. But I think that some people have a really strong urge that needs to come out, but then you need to you use it. I really felt unsatisfied when I was feeling creative and not exercising it. So I think that execution is really important to me.

Do you feel that as a creative that uniqueness is critical to your creativity?

I think every person is unique. And I think that if you tap into what is inside you, then, in a very intuitive way, in a deep way, then what comes out will naturally be unique. I think that you learn from looking at other people, there is absolutely things you pick up in terms of technical skills that you learn from other people, but I think to produce unique work you have to tap into your own uniqueness.

How do you respond to the critiques of other people concerning your work?

Look, I’ve been pretty fortunate in that it’s been kind of easy for me in that I don’t get a lot of terrible criticism to my face. I know my work is not for everybody, and I think people who feel a connection with it will give me positive feedback. And I think people who are not really interested in it or it doesn’t speak to them, hopefully they will find other things that they do like. So I don’t expect my work to be for everybody.

For yourself personally, what is the biggest opposing force that you encounter when it comes to a ball of clay?

I am trying to think if I do ever feel an opposing force. No, I don’t have that sense. I don’t feel that an opposing force. I guess I feel… my favorite bit is the surface design. So I feel like making the form is something that is… it isn’t not enjoyable, but it is not my favorite, favorite bit. So that bit feels more like work sometimes because I have to make the forms and I have to be in the right headspace to make the forms. But the surface designs is where I really feel the most joy.

You have had a couple of pretty amazing accomplishments since you have thrown yourself into the world of ceramics and I am curious, what is your favorite accomplishment?

I feel like it would probably be my solo exhibitions. I have been in a number of group exhibitions, and, as you mentioned, I have had the opportunities to work with Anthropology, and do some pretty fun things like I have my first residency coming up later in the year. I think I really like working towards a body of work that is often connected to one hike or one place. The first one was Larapinta which was about a series of walks in central Australia and I think that that felt like a big achievement. At the time I didn’t have an exhibition: I just thought I would make the pots and then I’ll find out what to do with them. Then the exhibition opportunity came along the way.

If we were to type into ChatGPT, What are people thinking and saying about Harlinah’s work?, what would you hope it would say?

I hope it would say that my work is beautiful, that it connects with people, that people look at it and understand the connection I have with the natural world and the places that I am walking through, and that people can see and feel that. And that it touches people.