Stine Dulong
CERAMICISTS AND FOUNDER OF SKANDIHUS
- LONDON -
This is an interview from 2015. Visit Skandihus to see what Stine is up to today.
Under two railway arches in Hoxton, swarms of tiny particles fly from the open glass doors. The sun ignites them as they buzz into the atmosphere like microcosmic fairies. I follow the charming Danish lady inside, through a labyrinth of worktables, turning wheels and wet clay. As she wraps her torso in an apron she describes the journey from working as a lawyer in the city to becoming a potter.
"It was an important factor in finding myself and what truly mattered to me. "
“I had an accident that left me on crutches for 6 months, which finally forced me to slow down my pace, and I think it was an important factor in finding myself and what truly mattered to me. “ Stine was far from happy working every day, including the occasional weekend, as a lawyer so she decided to take up a new hobby. This was her first meeting with clay at a pottery class in Hampstead.
Right from the start she knew that this was what she wanted to do for the rest of her life; Making beautiful creations out of clay. She decided to start saving and after six months quit her job as a lawyer and embarked on her dream to become a potter. One year later she is now a full-time potter, as well as mentoring at the Turning Earth Ceramics, which gives her access to all the tools she needs to produce her ceramics.
The science of pottery forces you to consider many unexpected factors. For instance making your glaze involves a specific knowledge of chemistry, whilst certain colours can’t be used on ceramics to serve food and drink as toxins can enter the bloodstream, in the worst case causing damage to the fetus during pregnancy.
The whole experience has clearly been a huge change for the better. Stine explains that she is so much happier now and that her life as a potter is far richer than her life as a lawyer.
I ask Stine if her social circle has changed much since drastically altering her life-path, she replies “I didn’t have many lawyer friends …but I have gained so many new friends after starting in Turning Earth. I guess it is a certain type of person that gets attracted to pottery, and everyone here is so nice and friendly”. Finding work and commissions hasn’t been as difficult as she initially thought. Her business-brain is clearly still present when needed, and Stine takes creative approaches to the industry.
Surprisingly a lot of her work comes from Instagram. “I’m not scared to approach people and shops who I think might like my ceramics, and now I’m selling Skandihus in seven different shops across London. “ On top of this Stine has several exciting new commissions. Currently she is working on 60 plates for a restaurant. It seems Skandihus is a name that may become very familiar in the near future.
