“Life in Ibiza is easy, it’s the icing on the cake,” says Barbadian-born ceramic artist Yvette Powers. “There’s a freedom here to be creative, the fluidity of the lifestyle is inspiring, the colours, the twists and turns of the landscape. I’m really inspired by the fact that craft has exploded in the last few years, that so many people are bringing creativity into their own hands.”
It is obvious the sunshine life suits Powers, whose designs can be found decorating Ibiza’s most beautiful houses and hotels. Leaving her Caribbean island for a life in Sri Lanka, France, California, UK and now here, she has come a long way since, as a child, she was transfixed when china manufacturer Wedgwood visited from England to do potters-wheel demonstrations at department stores in Barbados.
“I loved the endless possibilities of expression, how materials transcend the mind. Here in Ibiza for example, I fire in a brick pit with hardwood shavings from juniper, olive and iroko recycled from carpenter shops. I add driftwood from the beach and sometimes moss, banana skins, and walnut shells, which all give different hues and finishes to the clay. The possibilities for creations are unlimited.”
And does she miss anything from her Barbados homeland? “Haha, just the flying fish on my plate!”
