Art on the Hill: meet the artists: Mandy Macdonald

The weekend of October 5-6 sees the return of Art on the Hill, the annual neighbourhood art trail for the south Bristol districts of Windmill Hill and Victoria Park. Some 78 artists will be exhibiting this year in homes and community spaces, and there will also be workshops for children, a treasure hunt, and live music.

We thought we would grab a chat with a couple of participating artists ahead of the trail. After our first chat, with landscape painter Benedict Mackay, we also caught up with ceramicist Mandy Macdonald.

I have been working with clay for the last 15 years or so. I am a retired teacher and really enjoy walking in the English countryside: I have also travelled fairly extensively to all the continents except Australasia. I get my inspiration from the natural forms I see.

Plume poppy fruit bowl by Mandy Macdonald

I attended a day course at Bristol School of Art for about five years, and then got my own studio space at Maze Studios in Barton Hill about five years ago shortly before retiring. There are 25 ceramicists here at Maze, so we can share ideas, techniques and resources – which is ideal for me.

I view ceramics as my therapy. It keeps me sane and allows me the freedom to experiment.
My main technique is to roll the clay out thinly, then press leaves into it, cut them out and use them to make things like bowls – particularly fruit bowls, as my bowls don’t hold water, and small bowls the size of a geranium leaf – plus wall vases for plants, soap dishes and butter dishes.

Turtle butter dish

I decorate my pieces with natural oxides, underglaze colours and various glazes, then fire them. The work that is made to go outside is fired to Stoneware temperature so they can survive the weather varieties. I have also experimented with Raku firing which results in dramatic surprises.

More recently I have been experimenting with making trees to hang jewellery on, making beads, necklaces and earrings, and I have made various items for my garden, such as lizards, a mushroom water feature and large slab pots to put plants in.

Stoneware soap dish

I have opened my house up for Art on The Hill trail for the past eight years and I always enjoy it. It is a pleasure to be able to display my work in situ, and I enjoy meeting people and the positive feedback they give me. I am lucky that two other ceramicists are showing in my house, so I get the time to visit other artists and marvel at all this local talent and enthusiasm.

Art on the Hill offers more than just an opportunity to see art. The musical talent, poetry and dance performances are great, especially the Saturday evening performance where we sit round tables at the Community Centre, with excellent food and drink and an opportunity to relax and enjoy the company of my neighbours.

Art on the Hill takes place on Oct 5-6 at homes and venues across Windmill Hill and Victoria Park. For more info, visit artonthehill.org.uk

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