botanypots

Patterns of Light: porcelain monoprints by Maiju Altpere-Woodhead

2010-07-18T18:50:00.009+10:00

Echo #3, 2010, porcelain, monoprint, erosion, 1300ºC, h.100cm, w.100cm

Echo #3 (detail)

Soul’s Garden #6, 2010, porcelain, monoprint, erosion, 1300ºC, h.100cm, w.100cm

Soul’s Garden #6 (detail)

Speech by Vicki Grima at the opening of Patterns of Light

The intriguing work of Maiju Altpere Woodhead.

It’s rich and it’s beautiful.

It’s complex and it’s simple.

It’s serious yet also playful.

It’s ceramic and it’s printmaking.

Maiju makes use of printmaking techniques, but uses porcelain instead of paper. The way in which she combines the two, gives us the viewer, a richness and complexity which draws us in, then pushes us back again to view from a distance.

My eyes weave from one side to the other, across, in and under the textured surfaces, following the graphic markings she has made at various stages through the process of making. She paints coloured porcelain slips on in layers, scratches into it with scalpels, fine ballpoint pens and saw blades. Later when the slabs are dry she uses resists such as latex, shellac and wax, to cover areas she wants to keep, then rubs away at the surface, eroding the it away.

She works intuitively rather than planning every step and there, I feel, lies the beauty. It is subtle, quiet and dignified.

As you come in closer to the work, you can see the layers of porcelain – different colours, tones and textures. This is what draws me in. I want to see what is deep in there… and discover those fine details for myself.

Maiju uses this physical layering of porcelain slip as a metaphor for personal memories and how they are created. Memory and meaning are created and re-created, arranged and re-arranged as time passes. Our memories sometimes become dormant before re-emerging somewhere else. Maiju’s work is about time, or maybe timelessness… that fleeting moment, that which we try to catch in a photo.

It’s also worth commenting also on Maiju’s use of ceramics as the material of choice. She is attracted to it’s durability and its tactility. She is searching for permanence.

In my job as Editor of The Journal of Australian Ceramics, I have been waiting for an opportunity to feature Maiju’s work in more detail, and so in issue 49/2 there is a feature article written by Ann McMahon.

I hope you will enjoy reading the article as it explains in more detail about Maiju’s heritage and influences on her work, along with as covering her process of making step by step. I hope I have done credit to Maiju’s accomplished work.

Congratulations to Kerrie and Elisabeth from Kerrie Lowe Gallery for continuing on in their support of studio ceramics in Australia.

Moon in Sydney

2010-06-15T07:54:00.000+10:00

Lots of friends gathered on Saturday 12 June for opening drinks with the potter, Milton Moon, who travelled up from Adelaide for the day. Milton also launched his new autobiography "A Potter’s Pilgrimage", a delightful personal account of his life and work. The exhibition runs until 26 June at Peter Pinson Gallery, 143 Edgecliff Road Woollahra, NSW 2025; T: 02 9369 1919; www.peterpinsongallery.com; Wed to Sat, 11am - 5.30pm

2010-05-04T21:55:00.005+10:00

“Up in Smoke!”

A ceramic exhibition hung up on size, and displayed on a pool table, was held last week during Clay Energy Gulgong 2010. Delegates/potters/teachers/students were invited to make and exhibit a ceramic art work that fitted inside a matchbox. A final 45 works will be chosen by organizers Michael Ciavarella and Rowley Drysdale, with the aim of an ongoing tour of the exhibition. There was no set theme and no box was to be altered or painted on the outside. The art work had to fit inside a standard Redheads Matchbox (content 45 Safety Matches).

My matchbox entry honoured the creative spirit of postman Ferdinand Cheval. Ferdinand Cheval (1836 - 1924) spent 33 years of his life building a palace in his backyard in Hauterives. He used stones he collected over 33 years, during his daily mail route. Cheval carried stones from his delivery rounds and at home used them to build his Palais idéal, the Ideal Palace. First he carried the stones in his pockets, then a basket and eventually a wheelbarrow. He often worked at night, by the light of an oil lamp. Cheval spent the first two decades building the outer walls. The Palace is a mix of different styles with inspirations from the Bible to Hindu mythology. Cheval bound the stones together with lime, mortar and cement.

2010-04-19T21:16:00.006+10:00

Natural and Industrial

Slip along to Double Bay in Sydney before 27 April for some stunning work by Sophie Verrecchia. Sophie collects objects, both natural and industrial, bringing them together to create the most wonderful wall pieces. Sophie also does commissions ... mmm ... very tempting!

"Sculpture on the Wall"

Frances Keevil Gallery

7 - 27 April, 2010

"Landscape with Bones", (detail)

Lucky 13!

2010-04-06T07:55:00.003+10:00

Here is the cover of my 13th issue as editor of
The Journal of Australian Ceramics.
Wood-firing is the theme for this one and it's a beauty!!!
Rowley Drysdale from the Sunshine Coast, QLD,
was guest editor as he's a wood-firer
and knows lots about it all.
He also runs a space called Quixotica
where people come together to work with clay.
Wood-firers have a love for this technique
which is captured in this issue.
Sure you'll love it!!!
Buy a copy here.

Closing on 13 March at Manningham

2010-03-09T08:02:00.002+11:00

Memories of France: 100 brooches

Vicki Grima

Memories of France: collection

inspired by Ferdinand Cheval

Memories of France: collection

inspired by French windows

New work at Manningham Gallery

2010-02-26T07:56:00.001+11:00

bowl + spoon sets by Vicki Grima

Melting Pot

24 February – 13 March

French ceramic artists (Christian Faillat, Yves Gaget, Brigitte Long, Jean Marc Plantier, Sylvie Rusé Maillard, Maryse Tavernier, and Jean Pierre Thomas) are returning to Melbourne to join Australian ceramic artists (Jane Annois, Robert Barron, Vicki Grima, Sandy Lockwood, Veronique Pengilley,

Ric and Judy Pierce and Wendy Jagger).

Manningham Gallery

699 Doncaster Road

Doncaster VIC

Tues to Fri, 11am - 5pm

Sat, 2 - 5pm

A beautiful piece of Fleur Schell porcelain

2010-02-21T21:00:00.002+11:00

This gorgeous quirky "home" has come to live at my place.

Made by Fleur Schell from Soda Studios,

using porcelain paperclay,

the details are an absolute joy!

Thanks Fleur!

My brooches - before + after

2010-02-14T10:44:00.006+11:00

My brooches, above, are now ready

to send to Manningham Gallery in Melbourne.

The brooches below were shown on my blog on 1 Jan 2010.

Testing Feeneys Buff Raku and Keane Raku T

2010-01-23T22:31:00.002+11:00

My friend, Sheila Myers, fired these test pieces in her gas kiln
in a reduction atmosphere.

I loved seeing the rough surface, so different to porcelain.

Progress on my ceramic bowls

2010-01-17T20:52:00.002+11:00

Cool Ice porcelain impressed with coral, shells and quills.

Just made - still damp ... and drying upside down.

Nathaniel Mikhaiel's beautiful ceramics

2010-01-16T20:27:00.002+11:00

Nathaniel's work is now on exhibition at the Graduating Students Exhibition at The Inner City Clayworkers Gallery in Glebe, Sydney. These four shallow porcelain bowls are only small, about 8cm diam, and are exquisitely carved. Nathaniel is a student at Nepean TAFE.

http://www.clayworkers.com.au/

A new year and the "Melting Pot" deadline is coming...

2010-01-01T13:50:00.001+11:00

Melting POT: 15 French and Australian ceramic artists will come together from 24 February - 13 March 2010, at Manningham Gallery in Melbourne. A few brooches are on the go. My aim is to make 100 in the next 10 days. I've had a head-start and already have about 20 at the green stage. My inspiration is memories of my time in France September 2008 - windows, doors, houses, landscapes, pots and food.

One sunrise and some sculptures ...

2009-11-08T17:14:00.012+11:00

I met my friend, Bron, at Bondi Beach

just before sunrise on Friday,

as I'd heard this was a good time

to see Sculpture by the Sea without the crowds.

Here are a few of my favourites...

Jenny Orchard, Plant People, ceramic, metal, glazes

Serena Horton, Sanctuary, porcelain, plaster

Alex Kosmas, Gilded Cage, gold leaf, stainless steel, brass and cast bronze

Angela Femia & Julie Card, Going Up, pvc pipe, elastic

Marguerite Derricourt, Rat Race, copper tubing, wire mesh

Paul Trefry, Little Boy Lost, silicon, fibreglass, human hair

Belinda Villani, Tribute to a Workhorse, woven rattan, steel

Jane Gillings, Dream Home, wood, discarded plastic

Greg Johns, Pattern 111, coreten steel

2009-10-22T22:32:00.007+11:00

Spring Fever is over... the event that is!

SF is a bi-annual event organised by the Suncoast Clayworkers, 15 - 19 October 2009.

Vipoo Srivilasa, Fleur Schell, Ian Jones and Shannon Garson and Jim Robison (UK)

created work before a group of mostly local clayworkers.

Great work, lots of sharing and some hands-on fun

filled four fantastic days.

View more of my images here

photos of Spring Fever 2009

Vipoo reminded us of what was possible using the most basic tools - two hands, a butter knife and a wooden skewer.

2009-10-13T23:08:00.010+11:00

Have you seen this interesting new work from Adelaide artist Simone-Clare Hede?

It's decorative, disturbing and definitely different!

Ceramic artist Simone-Clare Hede presents her first solo exhibition of hand-built works, Populuxe, consisting of ceramic vessels depicting consumers glued to the television screen in a zombie-like trance, wall-mounted vintage automobiles and colourful TV sets featuring grotesque versions of commercials common to the 1950s.

Populuxe opens on Wed 14 October at 6pm and closes on Fri 23 October at the Nexus Multicultural Arts Centre, cnr North Terrace and Morphett Street, Adelaide.

Shown here are some of Simone-Clare's brooches which she sells through her new website.

2009-09-30T21:44:00.004+10:00

... and a brooch I made earlier ... Cool Ice porcelain, Japanese tissue transfer, clear glaze and gold lustre; fired three times - 980ºC, 1220ºC and 760ºC, then paint-on rust as the final touch.

2009-09-30T21:36:00.003+10:00

Lots of fun was had by 20 creative bods at my Precious Petite Porcelain workshop at Central TAFE, Perth, WA; working small has one definite benefit ... we used about 1/10th bag of clay between us!

2009-09-15T21:48:00.006+10:00

Western Australia beckons...

I am off to the Ceramics Arts Association of WA Annual Exhibition to judge their annual prizes and then give a speech to open the show. Then, on Saturday, I am giving a workshop called "Petite Precious Porcelain", where we will focus on working small, make some "Cool Ice" porcelain jewellery and have some fun along the way. Hope to meet lots of the local potters, visit some studios and check out the landscapes of the south west!

2009-08-21T15:37:00.005+10:00

Wood-fired ceramics by Ben Richardson

Click on this link to view a wonderful short "visual poem", based upon the work of Australian potter, Ben Richardson. It was shot in southern Tasmania and accompanied the exhibition, 'Working Fire', at Carnegie Gallery, Hobart, Tasmania.

Direction Glen Dunn and Ben Richardson

Camera and Editing Glen Dunn

Music and Sound Jethro Woodward

7.5 minutes

Some of my little salt pots are in this exhibition which opens Tuesday 7 July

2009-07-05T22:42:00.006+10:00

2009-06-29T21:08:00.005+10:00

Taken into the morning sunshine to record their translucence ...

... my pinch pot pourers are finished, ready to deliver to

Object, 417 Bourke St, Surry Hills.

Pourers will be shown in the Collectors Cabinet

from Sat 11 - Sun 26 July

Tues to Sun, 11am - 6pm

White Heat at Manly

2009-06-17T21:20:00.004+10:00

After being the middle-person between the curator, Julie Bartholomew, the 25 artists and the Manly Art Gallery & Museum, I was thrilled to see the exhibition open on Friday 12 June. It looks great! The diversity of the work and how the tradition of ceramics has been used to tell stories, make commentary on social, political and cultural issues, pushing all the boundaries, is inspiring.

Well worth a visit - the location is fantastic - right on Sydney Harbour.

Curator of WHITE HEAT: Dr Julie Bartholomew

Pru Morrison's series on our pollies - worth a MUCH closer look

The main gallery at Manly Art Gallery & Museum

Meng-shu You with her installation

Manly afternoon, Sunday 14 June

Clayworkers exhibition

2009-06-02T21:55:00.012+10:00

small sculpture by Paul Gould

smooth porcelain by Marian Marcatili

... some interesting work at the Inner City Clayworkers Co-operative.

Inner EDge – ceramics by staff of Western Sydney Institute of TAFE, Nepean College

www.clayworkers.com.au

Pourers in progress...

2009-05-27T20:39:00.004+10:00

I am making some pinched forms for Pourers, to be shown in the collectors cabinet at Object Gallery 11– 26 July, during the Australian Ceramics Triennale. I am using Cool Ice porcelain.

Botany Banquet 22 May 2009

2009-05-24T22:10:00.000+10:00

My friend, Alison, and I get together once a month and cook dinner - a special dish we've seen somewhere. This month Alison cooked trout stuffed with spinach in pastry. I cooked chocolate hazelnut pudding.

Getting started...

2009-05-24T20:43:00.004+10:00

Welcome to my blog.

Postings about ceramics + food + books.

See + touch + taste ... enjoying everyday things.