UBS Monocle
A hands-on approach
Michelle Lim and Ng Seok Har
Founders, Mud Rock Ceramics
“When you pick up one of our pieces, you know it was made by a person not a machine,” says Michelle Lim, co-founder of Mud Rock Ceramics. “It would never be so refined otherwise.”
The studio’s work is, quite literally, fit for a queen. Mud Rock Ceramics made a tea set as a state gift for Queen Elizabeth II’s 90th birthday. Nevertheless, when Lim and co-founder Ng Seok Har left their careers in design and banking to set up the studio in 2013, they could hardly have imagined that their craft would one day contribute to the delicate work of international diplomacy – or that so many of Singapore’s best restaurants would use their handmade tableware.
“What we need now more than ever is the human touch,” says Lim, who holds a degree in ceramics from The Australian National University. Mud Rock’s philosophy of making things by hand resonates with many Singaporeans who attend their pottery classes, which are held in the studio’s new space at Tan Boon Liat Building, the city’s unofficial furniture hub. The industrial unit is furnished with Mud Rock originals and fronted by a stunning tadelakt wall – a textured Moroccan plaster finish that speaks to Lim and Ng’s earthy, hands-on approach.
In a city as fast-paced and modern as Singapore, the pair’s commitment to slow-making is a refreshing counterpoint to the hectic nature of daily life. “Craft teaches discipline and patience,” says Ng. More than just beautiful objects, Mud Rock’s work is a physical reminder of the value of taking a more considered approach to the world.
Get to grips with clay at a class or course in Mud Rock Ceramics’ new studio at Tan Boon Liat Building, 315 Outram Road, Singapore 169074.
mudrockceramics.com
