Association for Art and Culture Hüttener Berge eV
Artist interviews
Interview with Steffen Gneiting
Author: Petronella Luiting - 2018
Can you tell us briefly who you are and what you do?
Hello, I'm Steffen Gneithing, I make individual ceramic pieces which are fired in a wood-fired ceramic kiln (Anagama).
Do you see yourself as an artist or as a craftsman?
Sometimes as an artist and sometimes as a craftsman.
Why did you become an artist/craftsman?
It just happened that way. I wanted to work with a material that I didn't know yet. That's how I came to clay. In order to master clay, I did an apprenticeship as a potter. Then I had to decide which ceramics I wanted to make, So I came to Anagama.
Or when did it become clear to you that you were an artist/craftsman?
When I presented my own goods at my first market, it became clear to me that I was now an artist/craftsman.
And how does it enrich your life?
I live the life of a potter. With all its romantic sides.
Who do you do your work for?
Probably mainly for me, since I don't sell enough.
Is it more work or fun? Does it make you happy?
It's a lot of fun. The pottery, the firing.
What is difficult about your work?
It is difficult to sell the goods. Unfortunately, only a few people find my pots as beautiful as I do.
And it's also difficult not to get carried away with my work, not to want too much. Often less is more.
What does art mean to you personally?
For me, art means breaking out of everyday life.
To do something, to create something that comes from me and enriches me.
Can you describe what good art is for you?
Good art must be able to carry you away, take you to a new level, let you look into another world, give you a new perspective.
Can you describe what bad art is for you?
Well, bad art can't do that.
Is there a work of art in your life that has particularly impressed you?
I like HR Giger's artwork.
How would you describe your style?
My style is more rustic, rough surfaces, earthy tones. I like it when my pots look like they have been lying on the seabed for an eternity.
What experiences influence your artistic work?
Probably all experiences. They influence my artistic work. Sometimes I feel like a catalyst, something is added and thanks to my surface I transform it.
Do you have your motives in mind when you pick up the clay?
Yes, it is. But it is just like this: does the sound turn me or do I turn the sound.
I also like to let chance play its part.
Do you have a certain talent or did you acquire your skills through diligence and work?
I definitely have talent, but without practice I wouldn't be where I am now. During my apprenticeship I started learning to throw clay on the potter's wheel with 3.3 kg. It took me two years of practice to master this amount.
I can now entertain myself while filming, so the creative process has become routine.
Are you sometimes unsure about your work?
I am not insecure about what I create, I like it.
What has enriched your creativity over the years?
My creativity has probably been enriched by the experiences I have had with materials (e.g. wood, metal, etc.) or with places (e.g. traveling, hiking) and with living beings (plants, people, animals, etc.).
Have you gotten better over the years?
I have definitely gotten better, but better than what?
How do you see your future artistic work, where is the journey going?
Where is the journey going? I have lots of ideas, I will let my experiences guide me. They will take me where I need to go.
Does our society need art and crafts?
Arts and crafts are creativity, and creativity is part of our civilization. Without it, we would just be machines. So yes, we need it.
Do you need information about the context to understand it? Or can it just be beautiful?
Yes, unfortunately. Unfortunately, you have to tell people what is beautiful and why.
I think most people confuse beautiful, that is, what is considered beautiful, with what is trendy. By that I mean, what everyone has must be beautiful, or what is cool is beautiful, or a status symbol must be beautiful.
I can't shake the feeling that many people find something beautiful if it improves their image, or even better, enhances their Instagram account. That's beautiful. It has nothing to do with being beautiful.
Something beautiful touches you deep inside, you can't explain why it's beautiful, then it is beautiful.
