Friday, January 11, 2013

First bowls for 2013.






First bowls out of the kiln this year. All bowls were fault free, so bodes well for a good 2013.
I threw these bowls on the last day of 2012 and trimmed the foot on New Years day. Interesting that I spontaneously changed the inner foot (the bit that faces the table surface) to almost flat. I formed it with my thumb and compressed it with a hard bit of bamboo. I think it was just a reaction or tiredness to the mess created by the trimmings flying off and landing on the floor. This is the messy part and the bain of my studio practice. Using the thumb to form the desired shape rather than cutting the shape with a metal tool. The bamboo creates a slight recess. The other advantage to this is that there is no water to splash out when removing from the dishwasher.
So I think, a win win!

Saturday, January 5, 2013

Containment @ The Ian Potter Centre








Containment: 2012 Cicely & Colin Rigg Contemporary Design Award

I loved it all, and just when I thought it could not possibly get any better; the next room was full of a who's who of 20th century studio ceramics. Though no Lucie Rie, Hans Coper or Bernard Leach, unfortunately.
I went with a bunch of friends visiting from O/S (U.K & Denmark); so it was a quick walk through (wanting to see more of the Potter gallery), and I think I missed a bit on the right side. I WILL go back again... and again.
To criticise it, I would have to say that everyone except probably Marian Hosking was in their safe space. No one was exploring new ground, just seeming to make their usual, but on a bigger scale.
So with that in mind, I think Marian Hosking deservedly won. Though they are all winners to me.


Containment: 2012 Cicely & Colin Rigg Contemporary Design Award.
The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia | 23 November 2012 - 21 July 2013 | FREE

Tuesday, January 1, 2013

2013, your here!





Lots of things flowering in 2012, but I'm looking for new things to blossom in 2013.
I hope the same for you.