Carly Buteux: Public Holiday: Sydney

Unexpected results are an essential part of learning and can sometimes bring pleasant new directions.

In early 2016, Carly Buteux ventured into a full-time career with her ceramics venture Public Holiday. Now, her work of beautifully, hand crafted ceramics are now in high demand around Australia, found in stores like DIA and National Gallery of VIC. Carly quit her day job as a Creative Director for an eyewear brand to keep up with the demand.

Living in Sydney’s Inner West where her studio is situated, each piece is nurtured and cared for individually through patience and craft…basically a heck lot of love goes into what she produces.

DEA homeware store in Redfern was one of her first customers and they found her via Instagram…infact all of her clients found her via social media in some way.
Busy but extremely happy, Carly is on a roll doing what she wants and loves. AR spent the afternoon with Carly in her creative space…

Name: Carly Buteux
Occupation: Clay-maker + One woman show at Public Holiday
Hometown: Sydney – Australia
Current Location: Sydney – Australia

When I was a kid I wanted to be…A tambourine player

My earliest, fondest memory is…Covered in mud, picking raspberries and running wild my two sisters by my side. I had a golden upbringing as my parents moved to the country, built a mud brick house with their own hands and taught us the self-sufficient lifestyle – growing most of our food and encouraging our imagination as a top priority.

The studies I took to get where I am… Bachelor of Visual communication, Masters of Design, various summer residencies in Europe and some night clay classes.

Before this phase of my career/life I was… Working as creative director at a boutique sunglass brand, enjoying life but craving the physicality of hands on making.

I’m most creative when…I’m exploring new things, going new places or pushing boundaries on material limitations.

The tools I can’t live without…My hands – they are the most important tool when clay making!

I’m inspired by…The endless possibilities for experimentation within this craft. The multitude of different clay bodies to work with, ways of working (throwing, hand building, slab rolling, slip casting etc!) decoration and glazing techniques! There is SO much to explore and so many ways to push yourself.

I’m currently reading…Apartamento magazine #17 that I bought weeks ago and am working through in moments of spare time. There is a really interesting conversation on Modern Craft, an interview with Petra Collins and so many other good bits that I’m yet to get to.

The website I hang out on the most…I love Sight unseen, Ignant and story telling sights like the Selby and FvonF. Probably what steals the most attention though is Instagram – there are just so many people making the most spectacular things. I came across this rad guy from LA making hands down the B E S T stained glass pieces the other day. (@davidscheidstainedglass check him out!)

I’m currently listening to…The new Blood Orange album (Freetown Sound) is on repeat in the studio! I also have a whole bunch of podcasts on rotation – ranging from art, design, life and sex

The last film I watched was…A documentary on mexican cartels.

Travel is…Something I’m craving. We travelled over to California last summer and spent a lot of time in the desert, road tripping through Joshua Tree, Palm Springs and Death Valley. I’m dying to get back over there to continue the desert exploration through Utah and Arizona. These is something so magical about the big skies, open roads and stunning rock formations of the desert that I can’t get enough of.

My travel essentials are…A spontaneous schedule, my favourite person, the open road, good tunes and beers!

One thing I would like to do but haven’t got around to it yet…Try my hand at some enamelling. It is something I have had on the cards for a while now but am yet to find the time to squeeze it in! Hopefully this year!

The challenges of doing what I do…#1 Challenge – DO NOT get too attached! Ceramics is a fragile art form in every aspect of the sense. There are so many different parts of the process where things can go wrong. Unexpected results are an essential part of learning and can sometimes bring pleasant new directions. Breakages happen – just gotta keep your chin up and keep on making!

The highlights over the past 12 months have been…Bringing Public Holiday to a full time gig. It was a while coming with a lot of hard work, time and dedication. Also being commissioned by the NGV (National Gallery of Victoria) design store to make an exclusive collection was definitely a highlight!

Advice to share to those who want to follow in my footsteps… It will take a WHOLE lot of hard work, aches and pains, sacrifice, risks and brave new steps but as long as you enjoy every minute – it will be worth it. Don’t waste time being scared – JUMP ON IN!

Do What You Want…A L W A Y S

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Interview + photos: Almost Real