Usually the theme emerges first – often instigated by stories or dreams, sometimes by a commission – then follows the playful experimentation, the fantasizing, the constructing and deconstructing, and lastly, the actual work.

I accompany this process with painting and sketching. Sometimes a text is the best means to sharpen a theme – and then I write. My favorite material, however, is potter’s clay. Here, in turn, I love the possibilities which result from positive-negative forms (see “relationship-cases” or “Antigone”). Again and again, I also let myself be inspired by finds from nature – weathered wood, stones, colored earth or sand – or rusty, forged pieces of metal to develop new works. I combine and complement those finds with elements of modeled ceramics, play with the symbolic content and vitality of old materials, and obtain in this way often works with new and surprising meanings, unicums of an idiosyncratic, for me typical form language.

Next to the material clay, fire is my elementary means of design in this process. Ceramics as work with the four basic elements – earth, water, fire, air – is both play and constant challenge.

I construct all works free by hand and kiln them either in the electric kiln by 1260°C, or through ‘Raku’ procedure, or with wood in simple cavities in the earth. I have selected works cast in bronze, iron, or aluminum.

At Work - Maria-Luise Bodirsky

The film shows the evolutionary history of my "Windsbräute", 130cm high, the manufacturing of a model, the set-up, the modeling of a face, glazing and baking the figure and by the way a lot of information about my principles.

19 Minuten, Farbe, Stereo und Fotogalerie 
15 Euro incl. shipping within Germany (plus shipping costs outside Germany)