Do you feel connected to a local tradition?
I don't feel at all connected to the ceramic tradition in our latitudes, which is good in a way, because this shortcoming has allowed me to be open to other sources of inspiration. This has liberated my work from many constraints.
What is it that still fascinates you?
I am fascinated, after many years of work, by how much the material itself contributes to the result. I deliberately do not set a design from the beginning. Instead, I give the material, with all its properties and peculiarities, space to express its inherent energy in the piece.
©Petra Lindenbauer
How did you start creating tableware?
A good friend asked me to create tableware for her, which I refused at first because the subject didn't appeal to me as an artist. However, I realised how my artistic approach, combined with craftsmanship, made for interesting pieces.
Is ceramics in danger of being forgotten?
The craft itself not, there are many people that work with clay as a hobby or as a profession. But the knowledge behind it: about glazes, raw materials, kilns, firing techniques, art-historical knowledge, these are areas that are increasingly being forgotten or no longer taught.