A Noosa studio has stepped up to the plate to supply a game-changing Brisbane restaurant with locally crafted ceramics.
Kim Wallace, Noosa-based ceramics artist, entrepreneur and mum of three, has scaled her home based ceramics business into a sustainable studio, using her creative ingenuity to build an all Australian-made enterprise that would have a positive impact on both the environment and the people she worked with.
Recently, Kim and her team were given the opportunity to create handmade pieces for MEWS, a bold and game changing new restaurant that launched in mid-August at Brisbane’s Crystalbrook Vincent.
Aside from the regular appearance on MasterChef Australia, her ceramics are used and adored by some of Australia’s most well known chefs and noteworthy restaurants including Aria Sydney, The Opera Bar, Ricky’s Noosa, Spicer’s Retreats and most recently MEWS – the newest addition to Brisbane’s restaurant scene, headed up by chef Andrew McCrea.
Kim’s handmade ceramics are in very good company. The award-winning art of Vincent Fantauzzo sets the backdrop for the environmentally conscious, luxury hotel located in Brisbane’s city centre.
Working in partnership with local producers and artisans, chef Andrew McCrea has created a vibrant seasonal menu with 80 per cent of the produce sourced within three hours of the venue.
“In the paddock-to-plate experience, so much emphasis is placed on the quality and locality of the produce. It’s wonderful to bring that full circle with our handmade ceramics designed and made from scratch in our Noosa studio,” Kim said.
“We’ve worked really hard over time to refine our processes and techniques to produce dinnerware that not only looks good, but can withstand the heavy use and demands of a commercial restaurant.”
MEWS boasts a stunning modern fit-out highlighted by custom pieces by local street-artists such as Mr. Sor2, JORDACHE and James Ellis, providing guests with a dynamic, playful atmosphere and distinctly Brisbanesque culinary experience.
With such a focus on sustainability and creativity, Kim’s locally handmade ceramics are the perfect match for MEWS and Crystalbrook Vincent.
“For MEWS, we created a gorgeous fusion of White on Stone, Stormy Blue, Classic White and Ember, a collective of signature pieces from both our locally inspired Ebb Tide and Rugged Earth lines,“ Kim said.
“We also had a lot of fun making some one-off, colourful custom plates to add a sophisticated, energetic pop to the vibrant MEWS atmosphere and the amazing cuisine served.”
“We’ve worked really hard to grow the studio and to create processes that would allow us to fulfil a big order like this ~ something we wouldn’t have been able to do if we hadn’t expanded.
“The timeline was incredibly tight but I’ve got a really good team behind me now – you could say we have been training for this moment. We produced this order in record time, let’s just say, if there was an Olympics for ceramic artists, I’d like to think we had well and truly qualified.“
