Kiln it in the ceramics studio

22-year-old Naomi Eva Robbins has her hands full. 

Alongside being a full-time Master’s of Architecture student, Naomi is also doing a part-time Diploma in Ceramics (Level 5).

“Architecture is very computer-related. I really wanted to use my hands and to see results quickly,” Naomi says.

“Ceramics lets me play and have fun, and that’s why I’ve stuck with it. It’s a breath of fresh air away from the real world, and it’s a bit of escapism as an art form.”

Naomi comes from a family of artists, so studying ceramics was a way of embarking on her own artistic journey. She decided to transfer to Otago Polytechnic after touring the campus with her sister.  

“I came from a bigger university where there were 300 people in my course, and now I’m in a course where they’re only 15 of us. I think that's the that's the biggest thing that I've found — the amount of attention that you get from all of your teachers.

“It definitely encourages you to be here and be a part of something. You don't feel like a number. You feel like a person here, and that's definitely what brought me into the school and why I really enjoy it.”

Alongside the satisfaction of creation, Naomi enjoys the sense of community in the ceramics studio at Otago Polytechnic, pointing out that there’s a lot of diversity among the students.

“I really love the programme, I love the culture between the people. Everyone is so encouraging and it’s beautiful to see how we learn the same things and do the same exercises, but all produce very different work. I’m one of the younger people here, and there’s a mixed ranged of cultures and ages which makes a great place to become creative and do creative things.”

Read more about Naomi's journey.