Adelaide Hills

Before you jump on into the blog I just wanted to share a little bit about our story.

I met Isha through attending one of her weaving workshops. I found her through Instagram. I then joined her for a few hand build pottery workshops. I made some cute things in these sessions. Isha is a great human, with a beautiful soul. She’s a great teacher and an amazing cook among many other things. Isha is so down to earth, sweet and caring and her workshops are so much fun. I love spending time with Isha. I feel grateful to have connected with her, learned from her and had many soulful conversations with her. When we catch up the conversations inspire some great ideas and beautiful creations. You never know what might happen. Please enjoy getting to know more about Isha.

Name: Isha Chatterjee

Business name: Isha Chatterjee Art

What part of South Australia are you in?

I currently live in the beautiful Adelaide Hills, in this picturesque little town called Uraidla. There are probably more farm animals than people here and I love it!

A little about me ….

My name is Isha and I come from a beautifully chaotic country, India. A lot of what I do is a representation of where I come from and how it has had an impact in making me the person I am today. I moved to Adelaide six years ago when I decided to pursue a Master of Teaching (Special Education) at the age of 30. It wasn’t easy to leave my family and home and come all the way to Australia, but if I was given an option I would do it all over again.

Since finishing my Masters in 2018, I have been working as a primary teacher with children with disabilities. I am a strong advocate for building a sense of belonging and giving young children a voice to advocate for themselves. If there is one thing I have learnt from moving to a new country where I knew nobody, it was the incredible strength one gets from the feeling of belonging.

Art has been an integral part of my life for over a decade. Although I enjoy working with different mediums and forms of art, I keep coming back to ceramics. There is something about the process of moulding clay which has moulded me in many ways. How beautiful to be able to dig up a handful of earth and giving it form and shape?

Weaving has been another medium that I have been working with for the past few years. I love that I can take my bag of raffia and needle with me anywhere I go to keep me in the moment in this very chaotic world. 

Crafting is such a wonderful gift. I still feel mezmerised every time I see a malleable material take a beautiful form in our hands. And, that magic is what I envision sharing with my community through my workshops. Bringing my two passions of teaching and art is what fills my cup. 

My work is spontaneous, and each day is different and my work is based a lot on how I am feeling on the day. I take a lot of inspiration from nature and earthy designs and textures. I enjoy the ambiguity of making rustic pieces without a big focus on making matching ones. 

What is it that you most love to do?

As I grow older, and hopefully wiser, I have noticed that I tend to only engage in things I love to do. Every aspect of my life is an opportunity to be creative whether it is working with children in the classroom or cooking or crafting.

Who inspires you? Is it a place, a person, or a combination of things?

I am inspired by the complex and wonderous world around me. Kind and gentle people inspire me. Creative people inspire me. My puppies inspire me. 

Is there something you really want to do or try?

Travel, travel, travel!! 

What are your final words of wisdom for someone starting out in your field?

Just start. Stay kind and gentle in your thoughts, actions, and words. It isn’t about what people think of you or your art. It is only about how you feel when you create. There is no wrong art. 

Thank you beautiful for sharing what’s in your heart. Where can the readers find you?

For now you will find me on Instagram and facebook under Isha Chatterjee Art. Find the links below.