As regular blog visitors may know I recently curated a ceramic show which is currently being exhibited at Backspace Gallery in Ballarat, Victoria, Australia.
This is the second exhibition I have curated in my arts career – the first also being a ceramic exhibition, which was pre-blog days (I don’t even have a Facebook album for it – so I may have to do some searching and publish a post), and I must say I do enjoy the process: so much so I may pursue involving myself more in curating artists into exhibitions in the future.
Developing a theme, and then asking artists to address this theme is interesting and inspirational – responses are wide ranging in technique and intellectual philosophy. I find that this, in turn, informs and inspires my own art practice. So it is a win win!!
The Earthen Centre showcases the diverse range of ceramic works produced by artists living within central Victoria who draw their inspiration from the fact that they live and breathe in a regional environment. Although wide ranging in technique and style, the common thread binding all of the work together is the natural landscape and the ability of the featured artists to use clay – the skin of the earth – to communicate their perceptions and understandings of their surroundings.
There was a great turn out for the opening – unfortunately I forgot my camera (very unusual of me) so I only have images of the works in situ, not of the actual opening 🙁
But anyway….
This is the (somewhat nervous and therefore short) speech I gave at the exhibition opening – followed by some pics of the exhibition:
Thankyou everyone for coming
I would like to begin with acknowledging the Wathurrong people, elders past and present, upon whose land we are now standing.
This exhibition aims to showcase ceramics artists from the Central Highlands region who use clay to respond to their semi-rural environment. These responses are varied including the environmental messages of Kate Vivian, the everyday narratives of Desiree Radi Mansbridge, the natural tones and textures of the landscape reflected in Judy Dewil, Petrus Spronk and Ri Van Veen’s works, and of course the personal stories of Deanne Gilson.
Clay is the ideal medium to express these wide ranging interpretations as it is highly plastic, malleable, and of course, is itself of the Earth.
It is hoped the stillness of this exhibition provides a point of quiet meditation and focus upon each piece so that the message being communicated by each artist can be heard.
I would like to thank all the artists for participating in the exhibition, so please enjoy another glass of wine, and remember all of the works are for sale, and there are no commission on sales – so all moneys go to the artists.
Thankyou.
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The exhibition is open Thursday – Sunday from 10am -4pm
And here are some pics…. ENJOY
hi dawn, do you still have my ceramic works submitted for the earthen centre gallery at the Back space gallery?
Posted by petrus spronk | March 5, 2015, 11:23 amyes Petrus…. they are safe & sound – I haven’t been to Daylesford for ages…
Posted by Dawn Whitehand | March 5, 2015, 1:44 pm