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Kajsa Leijström, studio potter, Kivik



Background -Education

As a child, I was always creating: drawing, painting, sewing -also tried ceramics, so looking back the choise of occupation seems natural.
I started my education to become a potter at the age of 19, directly after the basic years at school.

Schools:
Glimåkra Folk High School,  1 year mixed crafts 1991-92
Leksands Folk High School, 2 years Ceramic Form 1992-93
Practice/summerwork at several different potteries/ceramic studios 1992-96 (in total about 1 year)
University studies of ArtHistory, Archeology and Ethnology 1994-97
Certified Master of Pottery by Swedish Handcraft Council since 2019

I started my own pottery studio and business in 1999. The first 12 years I was making lowfired slipware pottery, some of it in traditional style. In 2012 I made a major change of my work and started to make the kind of high fired stoneware that I still produce, but a lot of the style and workprocess from the earthenware is still visible in my current work.

I'm now living & working in the southeast "corner" Sweden, the region called "Österlen". The village Kivik, is a former fishing village facing the Baltic Sea, well known for its summer market and the many apple orchards. It's a region appreciated by both artist and tourists for its special light and beautiful landscape.


The process of my work

With a few exceptions, all of my work starts on the potters wheel. I allow the thrown pieces to dry a bit, but still is possible to shape. This is the phase of making that I enjoy the most, transforming the ordinary plate or cup into something unique. I use my fingers, or simple stamps and handtools to alter the clay. Stretching, pinching and pushing to create form and decoration. Often they all become a bit different and that's a thrilling feeling to every time to push the limits and try to find new expressions.

I want the marks of my hands and the softness of the clay to be clearly visible in the finished work.

In the next phase of making, when the clay is leatherhard, I might add some slip decorations. They can be trailed, dipped or painted onto the object.

The clay

I use stoneware clay from a German brand. I mix two or three different clays to achieve the desired plasticity and color. The unglazed surface is a medium golden brown, with small black spots in some blends. Sometimes I leave parts unglazed as a contrast to the glossy glazes. My most used glaze is the white tin glaze. It allows the dark clay to break through to accentuate the edges and slip trailed decorations in a rusty brown shade.



Selected Group Exhibitions

Exhibitions of students work in Glimåkra and Leksand
Artists Association "PUSSEL"  Kulturen in Lund 1994, Gambro 1994
’Färs och Gästa art & Crafts association’, Sjöbo Library 1999
Ingvar Strandhs School of Florists, Oxie 2000
Office of citizensservice  in Veberöd (inauguration) 2001
Group Exhibitions with Craftcooperative 111:an, Lomma 2000-2001
”Lust & Fägring” Marsvinsholm 2002, 2003
"Sits Beautifully" Mossby 2003 collaboration with artists of other media
"A light in the dark" Galleri Smit H in, Kvidinge 2004
GalleryTomelilla 2005, (juried craftshow)
Autumn Show at Romelegårdens Art Gallery 2013 (juried art & craftshow)
Porcelain festival in Lidköping 2017



Individual Exhibitions

Local library in Veberöd; 1991, 1993, 1999, 2004
Elfstrands Pottery, Sjöbo 2000
Local library in Blentarp 2001
Gallery Tomelilla "Favourites of the audience" 2005 (together with the favourite painter)
Active Biotec, Lund 2009
Konsthantverkarna i Ystad "Set a table in the arbor" 2012