Porcelain with earth pigment; hand formed

Until recently I would have considered myself an urban potter. Although I have lived in a country environment for the last 10 years there was no evidence of this in my work. In April 2008 I closed my studio in a small regional town. I began working from home in an elevated space with views through close gum bowers over lands to a far distant horizon. I began making the vessels of which these form part of a continuum.

As well as freeing myself from the potter’s wheel, time and space allowed me to reflect on the occasions I have watched traditional Indian potters at work. A fundamental shift has occurred for me in the making process whereby it is fine for the form to go into a stage of seeming unrestraint. Another shift inspired by the traditional potters is a move towards simple materials and tools. For this selection of work other than the electric kiln and processed Southern Ice Porcelain, the tool used is a fine brush and an earth pigment. I find the stillness of place has enabled the meditative focus of repetitive making and marking.

 

Tags: between spaces, ceramics, cross cultural, identity