Bits and Bobs

A few things to check out:

The work of Dutch artist Anton Riejnders (above) which I have just recently re-discovered. And I still like it. A lot.

Melbourne-based ceramicist Vipoo Srivilasa's recent adventures in China for the opening of A Secret History of Blue and White (Vipoo's work pictured below).

And some good things being done by Paul in Ireland.

Curio-ser and Curio-ser

Last week Kamenendo, bum crane and I headed off on one of our little missions to see Julie Shepherd’s solo show out at Redlands Gallery. Julie must be one of the most prolific and patient potters I know. The gallery was brimful of her intricate and delicate pierced pieces, from teeny tiny sculptures through to larger (but no less delicate) forms. It was really quite mind blowing trying to comprehend the amount of work that had gone into the show!

And as if that wasn't enough, I peeked into the other gallery to discover CURIO, one of the most engaging jewellery exhibitions I have seen in a while. It was curated by Kellee Uhr and included the work of Zoe Jay Veness, Anna Varendorff, Bibi Locke, Eleisha Nylund, Emily Bullock, Liana Kabel and Madelaine Brown.

I have a strange relationship with jewellery. I very rarely wear it and yet I am so drawn to it and have a deep appreciation for it. I admire and am fascinated by the ingenious and multi-faceted approaches that jewellers use in their craft, the diversity of materials they use and the clever ways in which they use them. From Liana Kabel’s rubber necklaces (below) displayed very strikingly across a wall, through to Zoe Jay Veness’ incredible intricate paper ‘brooches’ (above left), this show really had it all.

Emily Bullocks Lucky Claw brooches (below), made from the wings of budgies and rosellas, were beautiful, horrifying, amusing and disturbing all at the same time!

I also really enjoyed Madelaine Brown’s Frivolite series (below), rings cast in silver and gold from handmade lace. Love a good bit of tatting I do!!

So all in all a very inspiring mission, topped off with our usual pillaging of the local bakeries and op shops.

stubby

This is all that remains of my trusty old underglaze pencil that has served me faithfully for over a year. I use it to sign the base of all my work (except the really super duper translucent pieces, which would crumble into shards if I pressed on them with this clunky old pencil).

A few days ago I decided stubby's days were numbered and it was time to get a new long shiny sexy underglaze pencil. I was so excited at the prospect of being able to sign my name once more without feeling totally uncoordinated - have you ever tried to sign your name with a 2cm long pencil...its a bit trickyI tell ya!

So I had a whole kiln load of work lined up (in nice straight rows of course) ready to be signed. But when I went to sharpen the shiny new model, it had totally disappeared. I turned my house, my studio and my car upside down in search of that damn pencil but to no avail. Talk about annoyed. I swore a lot.

Once again i had to make do with little stubby here. So if you happen to be looking at some of my work and think my signature looks like it was done by a 3 year old, it is more than likely going to have been scrawled very uncoordinately using the pathetic remains of dear old stubby here. The last of a long line.

Of course, after I had signed all the work I found the new one. In a really obvious place.

Fancy Pants

Well I’m feeling like a bit of a fancy pants today after finally seeing the latest edition of Ceramics Art & Perception with 5 glossy pages all about ME!! Susan Ostling did such a wonderful job writing this article and a big big thank you to her for taking the time to do it, and especially for coming to my studio and being polite enough to sit on my dirty dust covered studio couch without even raising an eyebrow! Apart from being a great writer Susan is a curator and lecturer in Fine Arts at Griffith University. She also has the best damn hair in the business!!

This edition of the mag (#69) also has an article written by Diana Hare about our exhibition North/South Discourse at the NCECA Conference last year, which was organised by the supremely super Carole Epp. Geez, double whammy!

Swapsies

Love a good swap I do! Its a really lovely way of collecting work from friends, peers, and on the odd occasion absolute strangers! And the last few weeks have seen a few pearlers come my way! From Melbourne to Canada and beyond! Here's my recent booty.

Ceramic tiles by Canadian ceramicist Jasna Sokolovic (i'd been eyeing these off for some time)

And these beautiful hand embroidered blue birds by the very clever and talented Reb at Purely Decorative

Swaptastic.