CERAMIC artists Sonya and Ula Jordan have taken their handmade creations from a Port Macquarie studio to one of the nation’s most significant cultural institutions.
Their work is now on permanent display at the National Film and Sound Archive (NFSA) in Canberra.
The mother-and-daughter duo from Studio Australia are best known for their handcrafted ceramic birds, pieces that blend a decades-old tradition with modern creativity and experimentation.
A NFSA spokesperson told News Of The Area the organisation celebrates creativity and community while preserving and collecting everyday cultural objects that form part of the Australian story.
“Ula and Sonya’s work continues a long-standing tradition of handcrafted Australian ceramics while bringing a contemporary sensibility to these much-loved forms,” the spokesperson said.
Sonya said the recognition was exciting and deeply meaningful.
“We are so, so, so excited!” she said.
“We love being featured across Australia and to be a permanent fixture at a place so important to keeping moments in history alive, it’s truly an honour.”
The pair’s journey into ceramics began years earlier through childhood inspiration.
Growing up in New Zealand, Sonja was fascinated by a neighbour who ran a pottery studio from her backyard, planting the seed for what would later become a career.
“When I would hang out with the neighbourhood kids in their backyard, I always thought about how amazing it would be to create in the comfort of your own home and be creative with others,” Sonja said.
“In high school I used air-dry clay, but I always wished I’d worked with real ceramics.
“Ever since, I dreamed of owning my own pottery studio, even a small one in my backyard, but I never imagined I’d achieve it so early in life.”
Today, Sonya and Ula continue a cherished tradition of crafting decorative ceramic birds, having taken over the business from another mother-and-daughter team.
“I think we saw this as an opportunity for us to both be creative in our work life and we loved that we would be able to take over from another mother and daughter; it felt like it was meant to be,” Sonya said.
“We love that ceramic birds have been around for decades, but people still love them and want a more modern touch.
“People send us messages all the time saying they got [a ceramic bird] as a present and they adore it or they’ve had a set of ours for 20 years!”
For Sonya, the greatest reward remains the chance to build something creative with her mother.
“There are only so many hours in a week, and working alongside my family, even part-time, means I get to share more of that time with them,” she said.
Their journey from a small regional studio to a national cultural institution is a reminder that local creativity can leave a lasting mark on Australia’s cultural landscape.
By Sis HIGGINS
You can help your local paper.
Make a small once-off, or (if you can) a regular donation.
We are an independent family owned business and our newspapers are free to collect and our news stories are free online.
Help support us into the future.
