Japneet Keith

Nature is at the heart of Japneet’s pottery, with objects and figures in the landscape taking its shape at the wheel. An avid traveller, she is often found exploring the forests, mountains or tide pools in foreign lands where she finds her inspiration in people, land and the art she encounters. From Hummingbirds to Seashell Murals to the geometric lines of ancient Iznik designs, the exhibition gathers a spread of her repertoire, which is also a record of her journeys.

Japneet Keith's time on the pottery wheel took a new turn when she enrolled as a student of Industrial Design at the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad, in 2005.

She was born in Chandigarh in 1983 and graduated in Sculpture from Chandigarh college of Arts in year 2004. She also did her schooling in the City, passing out from Carmel Convent School, Chandigarh.

Her initial days at the NID, were spent exploring the possibilities two- and three-dimensional mediums and the possibilities of various materials. Her interest in ceramics and glass ultimately lead her to select pottery as her true calling. She honed her skills under the watchful eyes of the master, Shantanu Jena.

After completing the course, she joined a ceramic studio in Pune to gain first-hand knowledge of various production techniques and best practices. It was there Japneet truly experienced the essence of pottery studio, with Ruby Jhunjhunwala as her mentor.

She set up a small studio in 2007 to work on those improbable things that often make their appearances on the pottery wheel. It was a time of intense introspection when she learned the possibilities and limits of clay and glass. She went on to establish a more formal studio in 2010, with a space for people to explore the materials and learn. Japneet developed programmes and workshops in her studio to help people explore the wonderful mediums of glass and ceramics. But the progression of her workshops was not skill-based or course-based. It was designed to introduce people to this wonderful, tactile and often quirky medium. You learn along the way that as you mould clay, clay moulds you. Red Mug was the next stage of the journey.

A natural teacher, she shares her creativity with students at her home studio, redmug.in and at the gallery at Happs Wines in Western Australia. Japneet has exhibited both nationally and internationally, and her work can be found at Happs Pottery, Australia where she is employed as the gallery manager.

W: Japneet Keith – commonagepotteryandgallery