A. Mills Clay Colanders

7"Ø x 5.5, 6"Ø x 3.5"
Clay, Glaze
ENGLAND

Arabella Mills is my oldest, continuously in contact, friend. We met in the stockroom of Ann Taylor at the Short Hills Mall, New Jersey when we were 16 and became fast friends amusing ourselves. True friends do have things in common, so bad, so young. My first real nights in New York were spent with her hanging at bars and loft parties on the Bowery in creepers and a leopard coat. This was the heyday of the city. We are both in London now and Arabella is living in the home we crashed at when we were 17 during the summer between high school and college. Never stopping in her pursuits, she has taken up clay.   

When it comes to objects, it's  always intriguing when a familiar form is developed and produced in another way, with another material. In this case, a colander, usually found in metal or plastic, is produced in clay. Inspired by the colander from her Aunt, Sara Mills, first ceramic collection in the 1970's, it was created to solve a number of personal needs. Working with speed and zero waste, Arabella first forms a pinch pot with the days excess clay and then she gets punching. The holes and thus colander originated from what was a bowl because her first studio charged by the weight of the finished item; having holes made the bowls about 40-50% lighter. The result all summed up to a weird, organic, creature-like clay colander with feet, every one being totally unique. As you can see, her work has a uniqueness to it, it is hard to pin down. I can't say I see clear references, to me that's the sign of some good work!