Welcome visitors from interstate - Kirsten Coelho & Stephen Bird November 2014

Kirsten Coelho

 Silent Interval

this is no fantasy gallery 

11 November - 13 December 2014

At This Is No Fantasy, Kirsten Coelho's exhibition Silent Interval is perfectly titled.

Tranquil arrangements of iron rimmed works of displaying the incredible ceramics craftsmanship that we expect.

New to this body of work is the creation of a saturated iron glaze inspired by red lacquer ware viewed during her recent residency in Japan. This glaze has an incredible fine crystalline depth to its russet hue.

Apologies for my crummy photos but please see more here: Silent Interval 

Stephen Bird

Once Upon a Time in New England

Gould Galleries

8 November - 6 December 2014

I have never seen Gould Gallery look so good. Stephen Bird's prolific output of ceramics & watercolours primarily made within the last three years fill the gallery to capacity.

It was particularly thrilling to see the watercolour paintings that inspire the decoration of vessel & sculptural forms.

Stephen's capturing of ephemeral smoke definitely intrigued!

More works here

The Magnificent Three

Three Ceramicists From Three States

Craft 

23 October - 29 November 2014

Sarah O'Sullivan

Vestige

http://www.craft.org.au/See/exhibitions/sarah-osullivan/

Vestige by Sarah O'Sullivan calls on the nostalgia of modernist ceramic installed in a reproduction Edwardian sitting room. Accomplished decorative technique ranged across vase forms, framed images and domestic utensils.

Gerry Wedd

Pot Culture

 Gerry Wedd's Pot Culture celebrates Melbourne's independent & alternative rock roots. The exhibition includes a flowchart of musical influences, punctuated with cobalt painted portraits.

Nick Cave was a compulsory inclusion and an ode to Gerry's passion for surfing in this substantial feat of hand building & painting.

http://www.craft.org.au/See/exhibitions/pot-culture/

 

Kate Jones

Being

http://www.craft.org.au/See/exhibitions/being/

Being Kate Jone's exhibition displayed her increasing prowess with enlarged scale & the addition of darkly gloss glazes alongside her sensitive use of subtly coloured engobes and terrasigillata.

  

Big Ceramics

Big Ceramics
Federation Square
curated by Jane Scott the recently appointed CEO & Artistic Director of Craft.

BIG CERAMICS is
Artitst included: Robert Baron / Kris Coad / David Ray / Andrei Davidoff / Janetta Kerr-Grant / Fiona Hiscock / Owen Rye / Vipoo Srivilasa / Mark Stoner / Jane Sawyer / Jill SymesThe quality of big-ness or scale in the chosen works is assumed by lack of domestic scale pottery represented. The vessel remains a dominant presence in all but Kris Coad's work. Kris' flagstone's mimic the plaza of Federation Square just outside the gallery door, a connection that is difficult to link in the works location.

 

It was certainly a treat to see so many accomplished potters in the heart of Melbourne's cultural district, Federation Square. Jane brought together well-established, large-scale workers such as Mark Stoner & Robert Barron with a newer breed of muscle-flexers, Andrei Davidoff. 

Janetta Kerr Grant, Fiona Hiscok, Jill Symes & Jane Sawyer's work highlighted the brilliant range of surface decoration available to the skilled, observant potter.

Vipoo Srivilasa presented the type of participatory work that he is known & loved for. The image here has a week's worth of additions in blue & white plasticine.
 

In the exhibition brief, Scott talks about influences of contemporary & international trends in the use of the ceramic process. Missing in BIG CERAMICS are the exciting explorations into ceramics process by these international artist: Marek Cercula-esque site specific works, De Waal-like use of multiple, mass and weight, Anton Reijnders-ish mixed media sculptures, Clare Twomey-inspired negotiations with museum culture or the use of over-scaled figures as in Akio Takamori. I have fingers crossed in hope for CRAFT's next foray into contemporary ceramics which I suggest could be called BIGGER CERAMICS. An exhibition where time would allow for more far reaching research and response to contemporary Australian ceramics. 

Gerry Wedd @ Basil Sellers

Art Nite 

Staying out all night, wandering around chilly, beautiful Melbourne, looking at art, architecture & creative spaces including:

Gerry Wedd's work in Basil Sellers Art Prize at the Ian Potter Gallery, Carlton.

Have been watching these fellas being decorated for months on Gerry's Facebook listing. It was great to meet them in person.

Brilliant work Gerry.

A thing for the past - Underground Cinema & Kryal Castle

Night of nights at Underground Cinema. Theme: LaGuerre, 1940s. Secret movie: Casablanca.

Brilliant!

Almost snowing at Kryal Castle, Ballarat.
Theme: Medieval life. Secret: Torturing offspring.

Porcelain + Jewellery = Julie Holmes

Jeweller Julie Holmes has been sensitive to the timeless, earthy qualities of clay and the making possibilities inherent in the material.

Her porcelain creations are treated as 'found' objects but one is very aware that they have been 'made' by Julie to be a consistent and beautiful material that seems precious and rare.

These 'found' remnants have a sense of being uncovered in archaeological digs, collected along a beach or skeletal remains. 

This porcelain exploits the ease of creating texture & imprint and the ability to create holes for attachment & wearing. 

It's a shame there are no images of the fittings for these brooches as they are incredible.