Confessions of a Mud lark:
Isolation – that selfish introspective bond between artist and object.
For me this seclusion equates not only to my practice but also my surroundings and the distance from urban landscapes. As a ceramic artist my bond to place is directly related to my pieces, both in their design and use of local material. This is a remote area rich in indigenous history with a unique environment co-existing with a huge mining operation, providing me with endless inspiration. ‘I am home'. A response from an incredible sense of belonging overwhelming me as I stepped off the plane some thirteen years ago, and I wasn't a potter then! This landscape is ever-changing and to think I can actually use the earth I inhabit to produce beautiful tactile pieces in representing just snippets of what I experience every day is a privilege. I am in artist's heaven!
Pennefather, Cape York
Peninsula
Now for a little bit of background.
I am essentially self taught but must give credit to Maxine Dean whose lively approach to teaching the wonders of clay in our local club opened another creative door which overtook all my previous dabblings. To think I went from heirloom sewing with wonderful French laces, crisp cottons and voiles to mudpies! - but I was hooked and the machine went into mothballs.
With Maxine's departure I was forced to continue learning from my mistakes but clay kept pushing me further and further and my love never wavered. My next interesting exercise was purchasing my gas kiln - I had never before seen or operated a gas kiln, but how hard would that be! That kiln sat for a year before its little shed etc was organized, tantalizing me with the pots I dreamed I would produce. Kiln fitted, gas line organized I was ready to go. Oh what a shock – lots of tears, ringing the poor man who built it for me – think he thought he had a madwoman on the end of the phone. Who would purchase a kiln without knowing a little bit about them? I had no idea what I was doing and no-one to ask locally. Finally Dave Coggin made some sense of the myriad of words I had devoured trying to fathom the workings of that wonderful gas flame.
They say there are turning points in our lives and the discovery of shino has proved to be a pivotal one in my practice. I had no fondness for that strange glaze with all its crawling and pin-holing but another look opened up a new direction. Not only did it do wonderful landscapes but in conjunction with the local clay, bauxite and kaolin it excelled. Creatively it feeds my soul like no other glaze I use and still provides endless opportunities in my work.
Shino detail
I still revert back to my Feeney's WS for most of my functional work but often incorporate this clay with local materials to get a distinct Weipa look for my pieces. For me its important for the user to be connected to the piece and also sense the connection to its origin. If that is achieved as an artist I feel I have achieved the ultimate compliment.
Western Cape Cultural Centre
Thankupi, Roshni & me.
The pot represents earth, wind, fire, water – words from my other mentor Thanakupi, that wonderful indigenous potter, who has returned to her traditional home, giving me access to her wealth of knowledge.
Cultural Centre - Hand Print Tiles
I am truly blessed. I hope some connection to my place and work is passed through cyberspace!
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