connecting through clay 02 6241 1670

Jacob Robertson

June to September 2019

Jacob Robertson will be our artist in Residence from early June to early September 2019. Many of our students and members will have met Jacob already who is currently filling in for the Workshop Manager position.

Jacob lives and works out of Lexington, Kentucky in the USA. He came to Canberra on a working holiday visa with the hopes of expanding his perspective and developing his work further. Being in a brand new environment, he hopes to learn and create skills and work that he can utilize for years to come, as well as develop meaningful relationships with local artists.

Artist Statement:

As an artist, I have become fully entranced by the creation of wheel-thrown and altered ceramic forms.  The potter’s wheel, and atmospheric kilns are my main tools and areas of research.  I am attracted to these processes because they allow me to use my hands to alter and guide the clay into an infinite number of forms. They give me freedom and malleability. This way of working is both therapeutic and challenging in a way that keeps me constantly inventing and exploring.
During the past few years of study, I have achieved a level of mastery that has enabled me the opportunity to research various surface applications.  My work is a study in how these applications can reflect my own personal experiences.  The main concepts and themes are always evolving and changing based on my recent practice.  I represent these ideas through abstracted traditional forms. Traditional ceramicists and potters have inspired me with their dedication and persistence to their craft.  This is something that I aspire to achieve in my own work. I have found that stories and events have greatly influenced my life for better and for worse. Some of my work comes from stories I’ve been told and some has come from personal experiences. Since these experiences have shaped who I am as a person it seems extremely important that they be included as a part of the narrative aspect of my craft. I have found this to be the best way to leave a vulnerable imprint of myself on my artwork.