The Mesmerising World of Tiny Pots: Canberra Artist's Miniature Mastery
For Hamish Bassett, there is nothing more satisfying than fitting a tiny lid onto a tiny little pot. "I'm really passionate about making lids for my tiny pots," he says. "The feeling of it just fitting perfectly into the top of a tiny teapot gives me this unique feeling of satisfaction." This experience, both hard-won and cherished daily, began when he first discovered the joy of creating exceptionally small ceramic works.
From Hobby to Full-Time Passion
The Canberra-born, Melbourne-based artist took a pottery course six years ago and was instantly hooked. "I started making pottery instantly, just to give to friends and family," he recalls. "At one point, I began making tiny things like salt bowls—tiny, little salt dishes with tiny, little spoons." He loved the tactile interaction, and recipients adored them, sparking a great creative experience.
Soon after, he found a miniature pottery wheel online, about 40mm in diameter. He bought it "as a joke, really" and made his first batch of what he calls his "tiny pots." After firing and glazing them, holding them in his hand felt like "the seed of my new beginning." A year later, he left his job and now makes tiny pots full-time, primarily through his popular Instagram account, which has hundreds of followers fascinated by miniature things.
A Perfect Fit for Canberra's Tiniest Gallery
His work aligns perfectly with the ethos of Canberra's Gallery of Small Things in Watson, billed as the capital's "tiniest walk-in gallery." Owner Anne Masters created the space in her former home laundry, building a following by displaying works from Australian artists who "love texture, form and all things fabulous and small." The gallery gained attention when a regular customer purchased a work by South Australian artist Amanda Westly, presented to Pope Leo by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
Masters was drawn to Bassett's work for obvious reasons, but there is small, and then there is small. His tiny pots are around 23mm high, with tea sets in his current batch measuring between 8 and 11mm tall. Masters also enjoys pairing artists with similar sensibilities, leading to a collaboration with painter Kiata Mason.
An Artistic Collaboration Born from Shared Connections
Kiata Mason, another artist with formative years in Canberra, paints whimsical still lifes exploring memory and shared human experiences. Like Bassett's pots, her scenes are calming with positive energy. When Masters suggested a collaboration, Mason felt an instant connection. "I don't normally do very small paintings," she says. "When [Anne] put me together with Hamish, I'm like, Oh, this is exceptional. I love this." This inspired her to use doll's house setups in her work.
The two discovered they are both in their late 40s and were teenagers in Canberra. After Bassett sent Mason some tea sets—beautifully wrapped, she notes—she incorporated them into paintings inspired by banned books like The Handmaid's Tale and Catcher in the Rye. "It's quite a good medium to do still life because no matter what's happening in your life, you can reflect on it by pulling different objects," she explains.
Mason integrated Bassett's tea sets into her paintings, while he created new ceramic pieces using patterns from her wallpaper and tablecloths. Their shared Canberra connection prompted Mason to include old mementoes—ticket stubs, posters, buttons, and keys—scattered throughout the work, with classic books as a foundation. "The added thing of Canberra—is it lost? Is it memory?" she muses. "If you take away the books, are you losing that foundational feel?"
Exhibition Details and Reflections
Mason reflects on growing up with cultural certainties that later prove fragile. "You feel like they're solid, and then you grow up and realise they're not, and you have to keep fighting for them," she says. The exhibition "Kiata and Hamish" opens at Gallery of Small Things in Watson on February 5 and runs until February 16, showcasing this unique blend of miniature ceramics and painted still lifes.
Bassett sums up his journey: "I'm just immersed in this whimsical world of miniatures, from the moment I get up to the moment I go to bed." His tiny pots, once a playful experiment, now represent a full-time passion that captivates audiences and collaborators alike.
