9 Apes Studio is founded by two humans.
Marena has a degree in geology and her favourite minerals are clays. Over two decades in the nursery industry has helped her develop an intimate understanding of the importance of the correct conditions for healthy plant life in pots. Years studying fine arts have given her a broad array of skills and flexible creativity that will show through in an endlessly evolving landscape of new ideas. She loves to look for new ways of creating and has many sources of inspiration such as nature and the wonders of the earth, also different cultures and geometry and even space. Marena is the inventor of root savers, in response to concerns for her cactus and succulent collection.
Nigel has degrees in chemical technology and philosophy. During years of laboratory experience testing mineral samples his least favourite minerals were clays. However Nigel is an avid potter and has developed his own masculine style of pottery, with bold and angular shapes. Nigel uses his extensive knowledge of chemistry to mix our glazes and experiment with new glaze recipes. He has an incredibly broad range of interests which provide inspiration. These include nature, photography, music, history, philosophy and science.
We care about our planet and support sustainable choices wherever we can in our studio. We reuse any plastic products in many different ways before they get finally discarded. We favour local sources of materials and prefer to trade in Australia. We make our products with sustainability in mind. This means products that are intended to have a long useful life, and most of our ceramic wares could potentially last for generations. We strive to create well thought out, functional, beautiful wares that you will want to use for as long as possible. It’s time we all stop polluting the planet and started being mindful of our consumption. Selecting products that last is an important part of this.
At 9 Apes, we believe that perfection is in the eye of the beholder. Products that last and work and lead to minimal pollution are more perfect than products that are always symmetrical and identical, but quickly become waste that harms the ecosystem. This is why we offer products with quirks and character, and embrace individuality more than sameness.
We invite you to join us in evolving away from mass produced machine created product and toward authentic, hand made, more natural goods.
Come and see our range and be sure to return, as we will always be working on something new.