5 questions for Kylie Johnson

A ceramic artist and poet since the early 90′s, Kylie Johnson is the creator behind the charming paper boat press, a boutique ceramic studio in Brisbane, Australia. (+ chance to win!)  

If you are a regular visitor to our stores you will no doubt be familiar with her collectable handmade ceramic delights & stunning poetry collections.

We love working with the talented people behind the products we stock (Kylie often hand delivers her precious ceramic cargo right to our Paddington store) and we want you to get to know them also.  Kylie Johnson‘s products are ideal Mother’s Day gifts, so we asked her five questions…

1. What inspires your work?

Words…words in books, movies, music, poetry, everywhere really.

2. What is your favourite feedback on your work?

I am constantly inspired by the lovely emails and letters I receive about my work, especially because people take the time to write when we are all so busy.  I have a lot of stories to tell, but the ones that stick in my head are where I have made a personalised star for the Christmas tree of someone who has lost a loved one.  The gift of a name on a star has moved the receiver to tears…  To be able to make a treasured remembrance for someone makes all the hard work worth while.

3. What is your favourite local nature spot?

I have to say my Mum’s garden always has been.  It is her great work of art and her place of solace; and the spirit of the place makes you feel calm, inspired and loved when sitting in it.

4. Your work revolves around inspirational sayings.  Did your mother have any favourite words of wisdom that influenced you?

My Mum is always giving me words of wisdom.  She always says follow your dreams, which I take to heart and do do… and my Oma, her Mum who we lost 18 months ago, always had great advice and great humour.  I remember Oma wrote in my autograph book when I was very little “love many, trust few, always paddle your own canoe”  – for some reason this one sticks in my mind.

5. How do you celebrate Mother’s Day?

My family always has a lovely lunch together.  Time…I think that is the greatest gift.  It is my Mum’s birthday on May 6, and Mum and Dad’s Anniversary on the 4th, so the first week or so of May is filled with celebrations.  Being together is usually the biggest thing, other than giving her something with ginger in it or something to do with gardening.  Oh, and make sure she knows we love her…

See perfect gift ideas for Mum from Kylie Johnson in our Mother’s Day gifts section.

:: WIN :: Kylie has given us two of her charming quote pencil sets (each valued at $16).

For your chance to win, we’d like to read a favourite quote from one our blog followers. To win (1) Leave a comment below this post with one of your favourite quotes;  then (2) Follow our blog (if not already) by clicking on the Follow tab hovering in the bottom right of your screen.  We’ll draw two followers to win a pencil set!  

Competition ends at midnight on Sunday, 13 May 2012.   Australian residents only.

WINNERS ANNOUNCED – based on a random number draw, the two winners are Sharyn and Rosie.  Thank you everyone for sharing your insightful quotations – perhaps Kylie will use one of them in future!

Images courtesy of Kylie Johnson and can not be copied without permission.