Tao of Clay Member Spotlight: Mona Mukherjea-Gehrig on Porcelain, Pattern & the Art of Letting Go
Welcome to our Member Spotlight series at Tao of Clay where each month, we celebrate the unique voices, creative journeys, and artistic styles that make up our community.
For founder Josh Herman, ceramics has long been more than a medium, it's a way to explore ideas, express ourselves, grow through making and connecting both through and connection. In this series, we introduce you to one member’s personal story, process, and inspirations so we can all learn from each other and deepen our understanding of not only our clay practice but to others at The Tao of Clay and beyond. Because when we share our craft, we build more than beautiful forms, we build community.
Member: Mona Mukherjea-Gehrig
What first drew you towards working with clay?
I always loved art and design. As a graphic and an interior designer, creating was always a passion and working with clay was yet another medium I always wanted to explore. I love that that clay has endless possibilities, forgiving in some ways and never predictable.
How long have you been working with ceramics, and what’s changed most in your practice since you started?
I started 2 months before Pandemic began, so it was a very slow start as the studio was closed for a long time. However we were getting clay to take home to make pinch pots and 1 year later we were allowed back once a week for 1,5 hours inside the studio. Now I spend up to 25-30 hours each week in a studio actual working with clay and honestly the rest of the week I am dreaming and thinking about clay and being in the studio.
What are you currently working on right now?
Working with porcelain, making lidded pots and big plates.
Is there something you’re trying to get better at right now?
Slowing down and not rushing through any step and getting better on trimming feet.
What’s a technique or style you’re currently obsessed with?
I just did a pit firing class with Tao of Clay and I am fascinated by the results and ancient technique and would love to experience all different kinds of firing technique for clay like raku, soda and wood firing or building a gas kiln.
Where are you finding inspiration lately? (books, places, people, music, etc.)
It comes from all kinds of my surroundings, definitely in nature, in the way lights creates shadows, the sun gets reflected on water, the wind leaves lines in sand and rocks, growth rings in wood. Sometimes I see prints and patterns which I draw down or take pictures of. I love going to art galleries and museums anywhere I go and travel to. I just saw an exibit at the Neue Gallery in NYC and loved seeing Gustav Klimts’ way of patterns in his works and I always love the patterns and work by Yayoi Kusama. Also I am getting inspired by working with a great clay community here in San Diego, as there are so many creative and talented people around me.
Do you have a creative ritual or routine?
It definitely helps to breathe out all worries as it’s translating into throwing clay. I am trying to let go and don’t have a specific piece in mind when creating. I do not do production pieces, so every piece it’s one of its kind and when I sit down at the wheel, I see what will happen. As a German I love perfection and a certain amount of planning, but with Clay …none of this is possible and I love that.
One of my routine is how I apply and decorate the surface of my pieces.
Creating repetitive patterns become a mediative ritual and a mantra for me. Doing line-work with a brush or a craving tool without a planned structure just letting it flow is what I enjoy the most when decorating. I have been focusing on monochromatic style surface and design.
Quick Fire Questions!
- Coffee, tea or ??? in the studio?
Tea all day, everyday anywhere
- Favorite tool you can’t live without?
Metal rib as its perfect to shape when throwing and compress the clay to a smooth finish
- Favorite song, podcast or ?? To listen while in the studio?
Old school hip hop or jazz.
- One word that describes your current work:
MONAchromatic
- What are you excited to explore next?
By taking 3-5 classes or workshop a year I have been learning and experiencing different technique and styles from artists like Moondobang, Yoosung.kiln, Eric Landon, Akira Satake, Ellen Fager, Sam Lopez and more, so definitely taking more workshops is planned. Also more hand building , creating tiles, new patterns, shapes and forms.
