Kirsten Perry

Strawberry & Banana 

Window series at www.pépite.com.au
195 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy

17 April - 6 May 2018

Kirsten Perry always delights. This show is particularly delicious with a goopy strawberry glaze that is decoratively dribbly, functions as a joining technique and makes for a catchy title.

Each piece is curious, witty and imaginative in both form and texture. Objects are abstractly familiar and nag at the brain for a linking reality: mushroom, toast holder, garlic bulb, Big Charlie chewy.

Perry's titles add to the game:

Sicky Bottom, Pimples, Teenager, I'll Wait Here. 

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Amy Kennedy - Ebb & Flow

23 September - 8 October 2017
Skepsi@Malvern
1297 High Street
Malven Australia

In this exhibition Kennedy's expands out of the round spiral, see works such as Ebb & Flow. The sub straight is also revealed as an integral part of the sculpture. See the work Cascade & White, where the thin leaves of clay are contrasted with the robust vessel.

Kennedy continues to capture the gentile forces of nature.  I see the effects of wind on the multiple such as leaves, petals. Or the rhythm of growth found in mushroom gills, shells or the effects of compression such as mulched tree litter and sedimentary rock.

White, artist blend clay/glaze material h. 7.5cm

White, artist blend clay/glaze material h. 7.5cm

& Breeze (behind) 14cm

Breeze (detail)

Breeze, artist blend clay/glaze material h. 14cm

Cascade, artist blend clay/glaze material h. 7.5cm 

Adrift, artist blend clay/glaze material h. 14cm

Ebb & Flow, artist blend clay/glaze material h. 14cm

Amy Kennedy Workshop Reveals - How the Kiln Magic Happens

Tania Rolland - New Songs

23 September - 8 October 2017

Skepsi @ Malvern

Plus Workshop 

New Songs presents a new direction for Rolland where she has used a richer palette of colours across the entire surface of the vessel. Rolland's plays with our familiarity of universal forms from ceramic history such as the urn, plum blossom vase and bottle. Rolland's pinching marks are left to flitter across the surface of these pots, trays and slabs. These indentations capture pigment and reveal the rhythmic course of her fingers. 

Rolland generously revealed much of her surface treatment in the workshop given at Skepsi @ Malvern on Sunday 24 September. Coloured engobes, are drawn or washed over coloured clay and paper masked areas. All this is then is then rubbed or sanded back. 

The resulting surfaces are a dense but translucent record of mark making. 

Tania Rolland is an ever inspiring artist whose constant questioning and desire to make meaning in  her practice. This effort is translated into poetic forms for us to experience emotionally. 

During her artist talk, Rolland explained  that the making of 'art is a special kind of paying attention'. The context of her practice sits firmly within the realm of Modernism, where she explores grand and simple truths; truth to material and to looking directly.'

This reminds me of Grayson Perry's thoughts on the role of the artist and that is 'to notice things'. Perry looks outward, to societal concerns and cultural affectations. Rolland looks within. 

Holly & last vestiges,  porcelain & ceramic stain

sub rosa,  porcelain & ceramic stain

last vestiges, porcelain & ceramic stain

detail last vestiges, porcelain & ceramic stain

detail last vestiges, porcelain & ceramic stain

florescence & shimmer,  porcelain & ceramic stain h. 34cm

deep midnight,  porcelain & ceramic stain

Workshop Reveals

'how to' for chalks, engobes, testing & recording of colours 

making of hump mould for consistent and supported vessel base,  pinching, , masking

Lynda Draper - The Other

This is the fourth solo exhibition from Lynda Draper at Gallerysmith (2008, 2010, 2014 & 2017). All shows expand on Lynda's metaphysical ponderings about the past and the present using objects as the vehicle for narrative. All exhibitions have feature her pursuit of differing sculptural expression and colour palette.  

In this show, The Other presents a fantasy space full of shiny creatures and objects, saccharine sweet but with and underlying and tangled melancholy. All hand-built in earthenware and glaze lustre.

25 May - 1 July 2017

Gallerysmith

170 Abbotsformd Street, North Melbourne 3051

Mary Mary

  

 

Mary Mary

Star Man

Tiara 1

Tiara 2

Bec Smith - Peach Bloom

This brief exhibition was a feast for the senses. Bec uses a feather-light pinching technique, creating egg-shell thin vessels that seem to float above the plinth. Surfaces create a haptic desire to caress.

Often surfaces are 'iced', 'sugared' and 'glazed' with what temptingly looks like edible material. 

Part of this exhibition could be consumed, with floor plinths dusted with sugar and little piles of sugared rose petals to delight the tongue.

A ceramic oil diffuser filled the exhibition space with caramel or fudge smells - delicious. 

A clearly articulated exhibition exploring the relationship between food, vessels, blossom and sense of touch and taste from this recent RMIT graduate.

8-10 June 2017 (Fours days only!)

Guild of Objects

Meet Bec Smith with this interview here