Where It All Began: The Story Behind Our Freshwater Glaze

I still remember the exact moment this glaze began — sunrise breaking over Freshwater Beach, salt on my hair, and the smell of damp clay in my studio. I had just moved from Western Australia chasing sunshine, but I found something deeper: a rhythm of slow mornings and sea-salted air that seeped into everything I made.

Freshwater has a way of slowing things down. Over time, its early mornings, soft light, and steady rhythm became part of my everyday, and naturally found their way into the studio. That feeling — calm, grounded, unhurried — became the foundation for what would later become our Freshwater Glaze.

Letting place guide the process

Freshwater Glaze wasn’t designed to follow a trend or make a statement. It emerged gradually, shaped by observation and repetition. Walks along the shoreline, light shifting across the water, sand drying on skin — these small, familiar moments began to influence the colours and textures I was drawn to.

In the studio, that translated into soft blues, washed whites, and sandy undertones. Nothing loud. Nothing overly glossy. Just a palette that felt gentle and lived-in, like something already familiar.

Trial, error, and quiet refinement

Like most things in ceramics, the glaze came together through trial and error. Some early tests were too flat, others too sharp or too shiny. A few firings didn’t work at all. But each one revealed something — a balance to refine, a surface to soften, a tone to warm.

Over time, the glaze settled into what it is now: layered, subtle, and responsive to the clay beneath it. No two pieces are exactly the same, and that variation is part of its character. It reflects the way the coast itself changes with light, weather, and season.

Designed for everyday rituals

Freshwater Glaze is inspired by the coast, but it’s made for daily use.

These are pieces designed to be reached for each morning — cups held in both hands, bowls placed at the centre of the table, ceramics that move naturally through everyday rituals rather than being saved for special occasions. They’re made to feel comfortable, grounding, and familiar from the first use.

At the heart of this glaze is a belief that functional objects can also carry meaning — that beauty doesn’t need to be precious, and that the things we use most often deserve care and intention.

What it represents now

Today, Freshwater Glaze sits at the core of The Sunshine Collective. It reflects not just a colourway or finish, but the way the studio approaches making — slowly, thoughtfully, and with a strong connection to place.

It’s a reminder that inspiration doesn’t always arrive in big moments. Sometimes it’s found in routine, in repetition, and in paying attention to what’s already around you.

Freshwater Glaze is our way of bringing a little of that calm into everyday life — wherever these pieces end up living.

From the studio

This story is part of Studio Notes, an ongoing journal sharing the places, processes, and quieter moments behind our work. New posts are added as they unfold, shaped by the studio, the seasons, and the coast.