Jennifer and Guy Jamieson: making art accessible

WORDS & PHOTOS JENNIFER ENNION

Bringing art into people’s everyday lives drives Jennifer Jamieson’s creative business at Centered Ceramics.

‘This space is a platform for everyone to come in and have an opportunity to do something creative,’ she says from the sunny courtyard of her Umina Beach art studio.

It’s a place where community is encouraged, artists of all calibre are respected and where locals, especially students and young adults, can discover that art is an achievable, satisfying pursuit.

Passionate and somewhat wistful, Jennifer continues, ‘It’s about that teenage girl who didn’t know that being an artist was viable, so one of the things I want to do is to be able to have some of the local schools come for excursions here. I want to run workshops with the artists themselves.’

Centered Ceramics is the first bricks-and-mortar creative venture for Jennifer, 42, and her husband and business partner Guy, 45. But the couple has always loved the arts. As a teenager, Jennifer practiced art and drama, but the selective high school she attended didn’t encourage her passions, and she became convinced ‘it was a crazy path’ to follow. After school, she worked as a remedial massage therapist in chiropractic clinics, and later as a manager and stylist of a furniture store. Guy, on the other hand, worked in animation and graphic design for 23 years.

The seed for Centered Ceramics was born following a milestone birthday.

‘When you turn 40 you can look back and you’re like: I’ve been an adult for a solid 20 years, I can’t be kidding myself anymore …’ Jennifer says.

‘We’d had children and, in another 20 years, we'll be looking to retire, so what do I really, really want to spend the next 20 years of my life doing?’ she asked herself.

Around this time, a friend invited Jennifer to a pottery course and that’s when everything clicked.

‘I was in that creative space I’d always loved, that felt like my place [and] I was like: this is where I need to be,’ the mother of two says.

Inspired to create a similar space, Jennifer and Guy started searching for a studio.

In late 2019, Centered Ceramics opened its doors on the main street in Umina. Despite the hardships of covid, the business has grown from having a small kiln and focusing on evening pottery workshops to running multiple classes and offering a gallery space for rolling exhibitions.

Of the new gallery, Jennifer says: ‘I want it to feel absolutely accessible. It’s not some elite, distant, am-I-allowed-in-there kind of place.

‘It’s community and it’s about seeing artists in our community being professional. And their work [is] held in a beautiful space where it can be respected.’

As for that old narrative about art not being a viable career option, Jennifer and Guy hope their venture makes an impact.

‘To see young people interacting with professional artists, people that have mastered a skill or are in the process, and to come and go “this is a thing”...

‘Being able to see artists work, it makes it feel real and accessible.’

An oasis of art and creativity. Book a private pottery party, one day workshop or into a term class! Come try something new and surrender to the joyful mess of clay.

Pottery tools, take home kits, and handmade tableware in store. Serving dine-in Coffee & Chai to our potters and community Wed-Sat 9am-2pm. Book into a term class, private party or one day workshop centeredceramics.com.au 02 4346 4459