‘I feel there is always something new to make’: Dundalk ceramic artist Sarah McKenna on 10 years of her iconic collection
Sarah McKenna’s Home Comforts collection can be found in homes across Ireland, and the artist is marking 10 years since its inception with a celebration, and a few surprises.
How did you initially come up with the idea for the Home Comforts collection?
It was all about those little sayings and quotes about home that the people we love always repeat. They end up meaning so much more than just the words themselves – they remind you of that person.
For me, my mum always used to say, “Home again, home again, jiggety jig” every single time we got back home, from the nursery rhyme “To market to market”. So now, whenever I hear that little rhyme, I instantly think of her and that cosy, safe, comfort feeling you get when you walk back through your own door.
The imagery for the collection just clicked. I had this image in my head of a really simple, almost childlike drawing of a house, but with a little beating heart inside and these cute hearts puffing out of the chimney. It just seemed to fit that whole idea of home being where the heart is. So, I expanded the idea and added it to the vases, bowls and tealight holders too.
Has it evolved over the years?
The collection began with only a couple of pieces, it now includes a collection of five framed ceramic wall art, three bowls, two vases, candle holders, plates and serving boards.
What does it mean to you for the collection to have found its way into peoples’ homes for this long?
It’s extraordinary, it holds major significance for me that the collection has found a place in people’s homes for this duration. It is particularly heart-warming to know that individuals are sharing these pieces with their loved ones and taking the time to share how much the items resonate with them.
I have been touched by instances where customers who initially received pieces as gifts have returned to purchase them for their friends. The fact that this continues to happen after ten years feels quite remarkable. There are times when I might think there will be a shift in interest, but the continuing connection suggests that the simplicity of the image and design carries a thoughtful message. It signals a genuine desire among people to share feelings of love and happiness.
Do you have a favourite design from the collection?
That’s like trying to choose your favourite child! My favourite piece is usually whatever I’m actually in the middle of working on at that moment. There’s just something really lovely about seeing a new idea come to life.
And it’s been especially fun to work on some new pieces for the Home Comforts range. Recently, around Christmas time, I played around with creating an electric lamp using the Home Comforts design, and I added these little cloud cutouts to it. I’m really excited about developing that idea further and tweaking the design to see where it can go. There’s something really special about taking that core Home Comforts feeling and putting it onto a different kind of object.
Can you tell me more about the plans to celebrate 10 years of the collection?
To mark the occasion properly this summer, I’m planning a bit of a knees-up, a proper celebration. It feels like just yesterday it all started, and now here we are at a decade – it’s pretty mad. We will have a full day of celebrations on Saturday, August 23 in my studio in Dundalk.
I want to bring back some of the old favourites, the pieces that started it all, so I’ll be making a limited run of the original wall art pieces, such as “Home Again, Home Again, Jiggety Jig” and “There’s No Place Like Home.” The ones that started it all – and also, it’ll be lovely to see those designs out there again and maybe introduce them to a new audience.
I’m also planning to have live demonstrations happening throughout the day. It’s always nice to show people a little bit of the process and the hands-on side of making the ceramics. I will have live music to add to the celebration, and of course, no celebration is complete without a little bit of fizz! So, there will definitely be a glass or two of bubbles on offer for everyone to raise a toast to ten happy years of bringing a little bit of “home comforts” into people’s lives. A chance to celebrate the journey so far and say a big thank you to everyone who has supported the collection over the years. I’m really looking forward to it!
Do you have any plans to develop the collection further?
I feel there is always something new to make, and I enjoy creating small batches of items to the collection. In my own house, my kitchen is full of an eclectic mix of pottery, every colour and style, but I know lots of people like to complete a collection and everything matches, so I would love to add some more serving pieces, such as butter dishes or milk jugs. I will certainly have a few surprises for the party in August.
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