Wellington maker Dee Johnston’s work is informed by many things, perhaps most notably elements of her Croatian heritage: the simple act of gathering around food, the conversations that unfold, the connections that are formed.
It’s appropriate, then, that Dee’s pieces are created to support those moments — pieces that serve as vessels for shared experiences and intimate meals.
“They are not just objects; they are a means to connect — a means to understand the world through touch, through presence, through the simple act of being together,” she tells us. Despite never seeing herself as a creative person, creation is at the heart of Dee’s being. Her latest endeavour, Plain and Simple Ceramics, began in a roundabout way.
“I never would have found clay as a medium if it weren’t for my partner, Simon, who, in our early days of dating, suggested a private pottery class. The moment my hands touched the cold brown clay, I was instantly transported back in time to my four-year-old self blissfully squishing and squashing Play-Doh on the deck of Horahora Kindergarten in Whangārei. It was a kind of return.” So it was that Dee’s fascination with the medium began.
“I started by wandering around our house observing the everyday items that could be reimagined in clay, and began to experiment. Yes, there were failures — as well as happy accidents. Among all of these trials and imaginings, I have always returned to food; to the spaces that surround it, the dishes that hold it, and the rituals around it.
“It wasn’t until recently that I realised the experience of an object is transcended by everything that surrounds it. I remember driving in the high desert outside of Palm Springs last year. Simon and I stopped for lunch at La Copine, a small, unassuming restaurant in the middle of nowhere, where we both agreed we had one of the best meals of our lives. The day before, we had visited a ceramics studio in the Yucca Valley, where I had been captivated by the imperfect beauty of the tableware. And there, in this little desert restaurant, was the same pottery — delicate, irregular pieces that had so inspired me. Yet the meal, the experience, was not about perfection; it was not fine dining. But it was perfect in its own way.
“At that moment, I understood something crucial: people relax, truly relax, when the environment around them is not striving for perfection. It is in this imperfection that we find comfort, and, in this, I see the true essence of hospitality and connection. The experience of an object, a meal, a moment, is shaped by everything that surrounds it, by the way it exists in the world.”
From Dee’s first piece, the Salty AF salt pig — a cheeky, quirky little number that sold out almost instantly — she has evolved her practice, gradually advancing into larger, more refined works.
“My current collection focuses on creating beautiful tablescapes: serving bowls and plates, platters, tumblers, and the immensely popular Wave Bowl (pictured). There’s a certain nostalgia to this piece, one that came about almost by accident, yet it immediately reminded me of those concrete garden planters from the ’70s. I think its popularity lies in its versatility — it can serve so many purposes. People use it as a fruit bowl, for pasta or salads, or simply as a striking centrepiece on an entry console or dining table. Its simplicity allows it to fit seamlessly into different spaces and occasions.”
As to what’s next for this small but mighty ceramics studio, Dee tells us there’s comfort in not knowing; rather, it lies in learning, watching, and noticing.
“It’s in this quiet curiosity that I find inspiration. Travel has always been a wellspring for me, and I look forward to the deeper reflection that will come from my upcoming trips to Japan and America. There’s something about being in a new place; it opens the mind, encourages enquiry, and, from that, new thoughts begin to take shape, and product ideas begin to emerge.”
Images: Simon Devitt
