Cart 
Zonnebloem Studios founder and potter Rachael Louise Parker is a firm believer in the healing powers of art.
Originally from Wales in the UK, Rachael recalls a core memory of visiting her late mother in the hospital, who had been struggling with a difficult episode of depression.
‘An art therapist had been working with her. Together, they created a mosaic of my beloved cat,’ Rachael says.
‘When I saw her eyes light up with pride and joy as she presented the mosaic, it was as if the entire world melted away. From that day forward, I dreamed of becoming an art therapist.’
This formative experience pushed her to complete a degree in creative and therapeutic arts, offering workshops for children and adolescent mental health services.
‘I truly loved the work, it was meaningful and rewarding but deep down, I knew something was missing. Later, I came to understand that I hadn’t yet discovered my own creative expression,’ she adds.
Moving to the creative hub of Byron Bay home five years ago was another major source of inspiration in her journey, finding solace in the coastal region’s serene landscapes and laid-back lifestyle.
But it wasn’t until Rachael enrolled in a short pottery course that something ‘shifted’: it ‘felt like the calling’ she’d been waiting for.
Fast forward two years, and she’s turned this love of making into her own business, naming her studio Zonnebloem, which is Dutch for sunflower. It’s a tribute to her mother’s favourite flower, and Rachael’s partner, who is from the Netherlands.
Having now released two playful collections of hand-crafted lamps with distinctive marbled or intricate tiled patterns.
‘When I first began practicing ceramics on my own, I allowed myself complete freedom with no constraints, no expectations, just being fully present in the moment. That’s the kind of experience I believe an art therapist can offer someone: the space to be free, to create without judgment. And that’s exactly how I felt,’ Rachael notes.
It just so happened that the first sculptural forms she made could work functionally as lamps, and she ran with it.
Each ceramic lamp takes up to eight weeks to create by hand. The current pieces are finished with silk or linen lampshades sourced from England and Sweden, giving a contrast to the base’s vivid glazes.
In addition to recently expanding Zonnebloem Studio’s offering with a range of planters, Rachael says she’s venturing into custom-made commissions too.
‘The best part this practise has given me is personal development and growth,’ she adds.
‘My favourite moments [to work] are the early hours of a summer morning. The sunlight streams gently through the windows, the doors are wide open, and the air is filled with the fresh scent of flowers and the soft sounds of early morning birds. I love making a cup of tea before starting the day, feeling energized and ready to create.’
