By Rose Mercer
Excitement stirred early on the last Saturday of February. On the banks of the Yarra River in Warrandyte, some of the finest potters from all over Victoria were preparing for the annual Pottery Expo @ Warrandyte. The standard of work is always high, the variety endless. The opportunity for the public to access many of these artists' work is crucial for the growth of modern ceramics in Australia , but for the potters it's a rare chance to catch up with their peers.
Creating ceramics is a very solitary and often lonely profession. One sits for hours in the studio, in front of the wheel or by a table handbuilding, decorating, glazing and coping alone with the whims of the kiln gods, who are fickle to say the least. Getting a chance for so many professional ceramic artists to meet is vital for each ceramist's growth and well-being.
Shepparton's John Stroomer just returned from taking part in the Austrade display at the Gift Fair in Birmingham , UK . His intricate crystalline work at this year's Pottery Expo included affordable mugs as well as featuring his beautiful large vessels in golds, greens and blues with crystals sparkling like stars in the sunshine. He took precious time out from preparing for a major show at the Ceramic Art London 2005 Exhibition, Royal College of Art in May. John was one of the few selected from 360 applicants.
Ever the Pottery Expo supporter, Jean Marc Plantier from near Lyon , France was here, this time with a new range in porcelain. He enjoys enormously having two summers a year and now that his English is improving, we are teaching him Strine to his and our delight. This year's offering is: full as a goog , adding to last year's G'day mate .
Pottery Expo strongly supports TAFEs and emerging ceramists, as long as their work meets the exacting quality standards. One of this year's emerging potters was Graham Mercer with his NovelTEAs, a collection of colourful, visual pun teapots. There was Tea Time, a two-cup teapot with a clock in the middle, RelativiTEA (E = MC 2 ), NoughTEA (in the shape of a nought) and so on. Many were attracted to the stand, which also featured copper red sculptural pieces and hand-formed fossilpots.
While enjoying the weekend, it occurred to me that it sounded somewhat like a CWA meeting, with people swapping recipes. However, instead of milk and flour, ingredients like amblygonite and gerstley borate (British aristocracy per chance?), were combined with the high science of specific gravity information and things that sailed right over my short five-foot height. Other ingredients I picked up as I flitted from stand to stand were: labradorite (someone's dog?), nepheline syenite (from Arsenic and Old Lace?) and spodumene (this one leaves me speechless). There was talk of shape and size of flame, reduction and oxidation methodologies, but all I know is that at the end of so much work and processes, and given the good disposition of the kiln gods, beautiful ceramics emerge. . Those of us who are but admirers of these beautiful pieces have little appreciation of the technical expertise that hides behind the simplicity of beauty. Moreover, they suit every need, taste and sense of humour.
But the story to really capture my imagination comes from the highly respected John Eagle , whose work has been commissioned by governments and captains of industry as gifts for foreign dignitaries. He is a great supporter of Pottery Expo @ Warrandyte and this year he unveiled his new Eureka and Golden Plains range. As he was packing up on Sunday, he told me this story: as a couple was purchasing one of his magnificent copper red and gold pieces, another couple approached, pointed at some smaller sculptural pieces in the Golden Plains range and asked: “What's that for?” John answered that it was a sculptural, double-walled vessel, made to enjoy the complexity of shape and the interplay between colour, light and shape. The couple asked if they could be used as egg cups, and a puzzled John said they may. This couple then retired a metre or so away, deep in discussion, gesticulating and pointing towards John. “I checked that my fly was done up and all was in order,” John laughed. Then the couple disappeared and John thought no more about it.
Shortly, however, they returned, each with an egg. They had obviously popped across the road to buy an egg each, to test the now retitled ‘egg cups'. They tested their eggs in several Golden Plains vessels, and the two that fitted the eggs best, they purchased… at $99 each! These must be about the most expensive eggcups in existence. But the story does not end there. Another person observing this event, asked to borrow one of their eggs, tested several of the red/blue/gold ‘egg cups' and purchased one for himself too.
This is an example in how to sell almost $300 in three minutes.
Accompanying the beautiful scenery and delicious aromas of food and coffee, was impressive local live music. The crowd stopper on Saturday was again 15 year old Ella Thompson. Remember that name because soon you may be able to say you first heard her extraordinarily voice at Pottery Expo. Sunday visitors and artists rocked to the Teskey Boys, fast becoming resident favourites.
Sales were great; some like Jena Bedson with her fun “Goddess” range of ladles, salad bowls and cheese bells almost selling out on Saturday, giving her a chance to relax on Sunday and catch up with other potters. The ever popular Ruth Petersen's frogs are perennially popular and she too worried she may run out of stock. An artist's nightmare and dream, at the same time.
Jane Annois, whose brainchild the Pottery Expo is, was pleased at the weekend's success and especially the newly added Warrandyte Walk, where a number of retailers in Yarra Street featured works of ceramic artists in their windows. Next year, this event will be expanded since several other retailers have come forward to be considered for Pottery Expo in February 2006. Another addition next year will be the “Cup of Coffee” option. You will have the choice to buy a cup of coffee for the usual $3, or pay $15 for coffee and keep the specially made mug of your choice.
Jane is dedicated to the promotion of quality ceramics in Australia and strongly supports organisations conducting courses. Students are given the opportunity to plan for and organise their exhibition, as part of the course.
Information on training courses from both TAFE and private sources is always available. For example, Judy Trembath's Twin Chough and Globe Pottery newest range of smoked and polished vases was accompanied by brochures and photos of classes people can attend at her beautiful mudbrick studio. Clayworks presented information and demonstrators who were available to answer questions from both potters and the public. The public and children were given free clay at the Manningham Pottery Classes stand and led by Sue Kneebone in creating an ephemeral sculpture.
Especially exciting is the opportunity to further educate the public in the endless uses of ceramics. The art you can use to cook in, eat from, drink from – there's very little better than that. What puzzles some of the potters, however, is customer's fear that items are too fragile to use. We need to know that the beauty of Glenn England and Liz Low 's hand made porcelain bowls and cups is not only in the fineness but the sturdiness of the items. After all, they have been fired to nearly 1300 deg Celsius, so hot tea will most certainly not damage these beauties.
If you have not yet discovered modern ceramics, mark your diary for the last weekend in February 2006. You will discover a whole new world of beauty that can be functional, garden or sculptural.
Pottery Expo @ gratefully acknowledges the support of our sponsor:
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