Meet Clyde Arnott, the self-taught Canberra ceramicist who's work is stocked in cafes across the capital

There’s something special about sipping an oat cappuccino from a handcrafted mug … and if you’ve ever enjoyed one in a Canberra cafe, chances are it was made by Clyde Arnott. 

Arnott, a self-confessed creative, was born and bred in the Woden Valley and, aside from a stint as a musician in Melbourne, has spent most of his life in the ACT. 

Towards the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Arnott was still living in Victoria but found himself missing home and family so decided to make the move back to Canberra.

Also during that time – amid lockdowns and restrictions – he found himself on the hunt for a new hobby. Enter pottery. 

“I actually taught myself pottery through YouTube videos in 2021 and bought a wheel and clay to learn at home,” Arnott says.

“I did try to get into a class, but it seems Canberra is full of a lot of people who are keen on pottery, so they always filled up quickly.” 

Just two years later, his work can be found throughout homes and cafes across Canberra, and Arnott even gives his own lessons to others interested in trying their hand at the art form. 

Despite supplying local cafes and restaurants including Some Cafe, Redbrick and Zaab, Arnott says his work as a ceramicist is still very much for pleasure – with a little frustration thrown in. 

“I’d say 90 per cent of the time it’s therapeutic – then every once in a while, I’ll have a day where nothing is working,” he says.

“You feel like you’ve just lost your touch and it can be absolute torture.”

 Throughout his journey, Arnott has relied on fellow artists and creatives for advice and inspiration. 

“I’ll always talk to people in the community as much as I can to get advice,” he says. 

“I like looking at old, historical archaeology books with artefacts and stuff like that, but I also like to experiment as much as I can as well. 

“I might see something that I like in a shop or whatnot, then try to replicate things and put my own spin on it.” 

Many of Arnott’s pieces are hand-carved and utilise different colours, meaning no two pieces are the same, even when they come as a set. 

He also integrates a unique method of collecting local river water and sand to add to his clay – creating an earthy connection between the pieces and the local land. 

“The water comes from Uriarra: it’s where I spent a lot of time growing up and swimming with my family, and I just love it out there. I find it very peaceful,” Arnott says. 

“I also collect and source sand from the riverbank, and will mix that with the clay that I’m using to give it a bit of texture. It’s about acknowledging where it’s come from and the history of the place.”

Reflecting on the time spent with his family as a child, Arnott admits they are often who he imagines using his pieces in their homes. 

“I just want to make things that I would like to have in my home, and that my friends, family and the community can afford and enjoy in their homes too,” he says. 

He knows the impact a handmade piece can have on a space: whether it’s creating a cosy mood within a home or simply providing a brief escape for somebody as they sip their morning brew. 

It’s clear Arnott loves his work and appreciates the little things in life. 

“Just going to a cafe and drinking out of a not-so-standard type cup that you’ve never had before can make your experience completely different,” he says. “It can have an effect where it can make you feel a bit more present in the moment as well.” 

Arnott gets to see first-hand the reactions to his art – he works as a barista at Intra, another of the Canberra venues where his mugs are in use, and the reviews are overwhelmingly positive. 

“If you’re going to your local cafe and all the cups are handmade, then every time you go there you’re drinking from a similar cup, but it’s always different, and it’s just a bit more ceremonial and nice,” he says. 

It’s this sentiment that keeps him going – and pottery is something Arnott can see himself doing for a long time to come. 

“It’s not anything that’s going to be paying my rent or getting me a house any time soon, but it’s something that I like enough to do on the side,” he says. 

“The dream would be to supply restaurants and such with plates and bowls and get into larger markets. But, at the end of the day, regardless of the work I’m getting, I just want to make things that I enjoy and would like to have in my home over anything.

“That’s what keeps the creativity and the fun of it alive.”