Love affair with pottery crafts a burgeoning business

THE pottery wheel is spinning, music is playing, and Ally Weinrauch is painting a pot her husband Barney created. This couple has life sorted and business is booming.

Ally and Barney Weinrauch of Redraku pottery. Photo: Dominika Lis

THE pottery wheel is spinning, music is playing, and Ally Weinrauch is painting a pot her husband Barney created.

Behind the chilled scene is a burgeoning business that started just 12 months ago at Redcliffe’s Old Fire Station Community Arts and Volunteer Hub.

Barney’s love affair with clay began about 40 years ago when he started “throwing” clay collected from the side of the road in a New Zealand country town – throwing describes the process of shaping clay on a potter’s wheel.

“It gave me a good understanding of the raw material and how it works,” he says.

Barney Weinrauch in action at Redraku pottery. Photo: Dominika Lis

Barney had not “thrown” a pot for 17 years when Ally signed up for a pottery workshop at Redcliffe’s Old Fire Station.

Ally says her affinity for pottery reignited Barney’s passion for the medium and soon the muddy couple had started running classes and posting photos of their wares on social media.

Before too long, their business Redraku began to take shape.

Their first job was for Geoff Abel at Flock Eatery. Geoff had seen photos on Instagram and asked if they could create cups and plates for his Redcliffe cafe.

He had a clear idea of how he wanted his food to look on the plates, so they created tableware with colours, textures and lips to suit. And customers soon started asking where they could buy the crockery.

“They were selling really well,” Ally says.

Geoff then asked if the couple could create a prototype of a ceramic keep cup with a silicone lid, reducing the need for disposable cups.

The 10 they placed in the cafe sold in a day. Now, they are selling the cups in 22 cafes around Australia and their work has sold to customers in Ireland, Poland, United States and New Zealand.

“That’s where we’re at, trying to keep up with that demand,” she says.

Redraku’s Ally Weinrauch at Redcliffe’s Old Fire Station studio. Photo: Dominika Lis

Redraku will move into its own studio at Clontarf later this year.

Ally says her favourite part of the process is the moment she boxes up the goods for a customer, preparing what she says feels like a present for someone.

“I enjoy direct custom orders and sending modern ceramics we’ve made out into the community,” she says.

Redraku pottery. Photo: Dominkia Lis

Discover Redraku

To order: Search Redraku on Instagram and send Ally Weinrauch a message.

Fun fact: The name combines the word ‘raku’, a type of clay and method of firing – and Japanese for comfort/enjoyment – with Red, in a nod to Redcliffe.