New Acquisitions is an exhibition of works acquired by Canberra Potters over the past three years. It showcases recent Artists in Residence, and a collection of works by significant Australian and Japanese ceramic artists donated by Bob Hay in 2022.

Over the last 48 years, Canberra Potters has collected a number of works from visiting artists, workshop tutors and artists-in-residence from around the world. This exhibition presents work from over 30 artists, some of which have never been seen by the general public.

A large portion of the work on show has generously been donated to Canberra Potters by Bob Hay in 2022. Hay first became interested in Japanese ceramics more than half a century ago when after taking up potting, he realised that he felt most in tune with the Japanese aesthetic, the wabi-sabi which evolved out of both Shinto reverence for Nature and the Buddhist concept of impermanence and change. Hay’s donation consists of a broad range of Japanese and Australian pottery and fine art ceramics.

About:

Canberra Potters is proud to present its annual Members’ Exhibition featuring some of the best work created by its members during the last twelve months.

The exhibition presents the inexhaustible breadth of ceramic arts through works using combinations of different clays, making, decorating and firing techniques to create works that are unique in form, texture and colour. Demonstrating the trends in contemporary ceramics practice, this is Canberra’s major ceramic show of the year.

An award pool of over $3000 is donated by our generous sponsors, with the premier award of the exhibition being the $1000 Doug Alexander Memorial Award.

The Doug Alexander Memorial Award:

Each year since 1990, Canberra Potters have given the Doug Alexander Award to an exceptional potter in our annual Members’ Exhibition. It is presented in celebration and honour of Doug Alexander who was the resident potter at Cuppacumbalong Arts and Craft Centre at Tharwa, from 1976 to 1981 – brought short by his untimely death.

Doug Alexander made a huge contribution to the development of functional ceramics in Australia and, when he moved to Canberra, Doug Alexander’s experience and knowledge gave a fillip to pottery in Canberra. This $1000 cash prize is proudly sponsored by Canberra Potters.
Information retrieved from Doug Alexander –  A Retrospective. 

Dates:

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Opening 6pm Thursday 13 October 2022 with a performance by Canberra Qwire.

Canberra Potters Gallery, 1 Aspinall St Watson ACT.

This group exhibition showcases recent works of seven clayworkers who are proudly members of the LGBTQIA+ community living and thriving in the Canberra Region. These works individually and collectively explore what it means to be a member of a community, sometimes overtly gathered together, at other times grouped together by others. We are gathered together based on shared identities while remaining individuals with diverse lived experiences.

As clayworking artists we typically pursue our clay practise alone, but we give expression to our identities as artists within a wider community. Over the past three years every human alive has met the question “who am I when I am isolated and alone?”  and many of us have been challenged to re-explore questions of how we engage with our community, where we find community and how to maintain connection in a time of uncertainty.

There are echoes of our identities within our clay expressions. As the clay is elemental to our identities as artists, so too is our community critical to how we overcome isolation and marginalisation. To find connection and thus, to be able to celebrate our shared humanity, is the daily meditation.

Alex Thatcher | Bella Insch | Georgie Bryant | James Collier | Maddie Tranter | Tahlia Duncan Kring | Tim Bisaro 

Opened 6pm Thursday 18 August 2022 by Janet DeBoos at Canberra Potters Gallery, 1 Aspinall St Watson ACT.

Unpredictable: An Exploration of Soda Vapour Glazing 2004-2022  explores the progression of Maryke Henderson’s development of surface and form over a period of 18 years, starting while a student at ANU.

Why soda glaze?

Why am I so captivated by the process?

Soda vapour glaze offers an edge of unpredictability, of serendipity, of the unexpected.

Each kiln load offers an element of excitement, and occasionally despair as the harshness of the firing effects the vessel.

The organic surfaces produced have the impression of ageing, of layering and the natural structure. An element of function is important to me as it implies an intimate relationship - maker to pot, pot to user, as well as providing a visual dimension.

This exhibition is about the journey of discovery of this difficult yet exciting process using the paths of flame and vapours to decorate the surface by the use of various clay bodies and slips. It explores the vessels or canvases on which to produce these surfaces by a selection  of student work to the present day. It shows how I am strongly influenced by the landscape, the textures and lichens found on trees and the continuing desire of making functional ware.

Opened 6pm Thursday 14 July 2022 by Tony Schumacher-Jones, PhD at Canberra Potters Gallery, 1 Aspinall St Watson ACT.

(in)tangible showcases the work of five artists: Jeremy Brown (wood), Madeline Cardone (glass), Abbey Jamieson (ceramics), Meredith Pammenter-Legg (print & drawing) and Dan Venables (glass).

Together their works explore themes of mental health and well-being through the act of making. Some of these works are representative of lived experiences, whilst others aim to create comforting spaces or encourage physical interaction and viewer participation. In a rapidly changing and uncertain world where many people find themselves challenged by anxiety and mental health issues, self care is becoming more important than ever and this show presents a range of perspectives and tangible responses to these intangible concepts. (in)tangible‘s intention is to convey a sense of compassion and solidarity - normalising personal experience and adding to the discussion surrounding mental health. The physical outcomes in this exhibition are all designed to encourage viewers to see the world from a different perspective by making the intangible, tangible.