Sharon Smith - Clay and Circularity at Il Palmerino

2014 / 2025

Sharon Smith first came to Il Palmerino over a decade ago. Recently, she returned to the property as part of her travels across Europe to attend a variety of ceramic and clay workshops as part of her focus on the "circularity" of clay—a process which focuses on connecting finished clay works to the land they were created from.

Sharon Sculpting Clay

Originally from Australia, Sharon’s connection to ceramics started young. As she recalls, her mother kept a pottery wheel in the back shed that all the kids were encouraged to experiment on. The hobby stuck. And, as Sharon grew older, so did her appreciation for the natural beauty of the artform and clayworks. While professionally running an import business, she recalls always feeling very drawn to the natural, old, and unglazed terracotta piece—they were the ones with a sense of resistance and naturality to them. 

But it wasn’t until she was walking past a construction site that she found her ceramic calling. There, deep in the holes the city had dug, perhaps 20 meters deep, Sharon thought she spotted clay. Curious, she approached the workers and asked for a sample, a request they acquiesced. 

After research, processing, testing, and firing, Sharon knew her suspicions were correct. It saddened her to imagine such beautiful materials going to waste, and thus her ceramic inspiration was born.

She now works to give clay “circulairty”—putting her finished pieces in the buildings that now sit where the clay was sourced. They serve as a reminder to all of the land they walk and build on. 

Test Pieces of Il Palmerino

Her return to Il Palmerino was in search of a distant memory. The garden and story of the pairing between art and nature had stuck with her (and so had the recollection of clay on the property). Luckily, her memory served correct! She took some samples from around Palmerino to do initial tests and firings on. Initial steps look promising, but the process to truly know the details and makeup of natural clay is long. Either way, she looks at the whole experience as “a very exciting adventure”!

We were so happy to have Sharon back, and look forward to seeing where her work takes her.

Caroline K.

Left to right: clay from Il Palmerino, Cracked drink to signify clay, Location of clay at Il Palmerino