This year I've spent a lot of time developing new ceramic works. Haptic, my new series, has evolved from my original Confetti works and borrows from my wood cut printmaking process. Printmaking can be all about layering when making reduction prints. These ceramic pieces were created using the same framework, only in clay. They are characterised by an interaction between the layers of matt underglaze and transparent/gloss glaze. They're intended to invite touch and have a distinctive visual language of their own.
I was so grateful to have had a set of my haptic vessels selected as one of the finalist works for the 2023 Portage Ceramic Award which was held at Te Uru in Waitakere, Auckland. The judge this year was John Parker, a ceramicist which I have long admired and who has been an amazing contributor on so many levels to the New Zealand ceramics ecosystem for many decades.
Pictured above are images of the Haptic suite on show in the finalist's exhibition at Te Uru Gallery. Images of works in the gallery courtesy of Sam Hartnett.
The 2023 Waiheke Small Sculpture Award was another highlight and marked exciting developments within the ceramics side of my practice. I had two separate entries, Reef as well as Portrait in Clay 3, selected as finalists for this award held at the Waiheke Art Gallery. Curator and Collection Manager Kate Darrow was the judge for this award and Portrait in Clay 3 won the Benefactor's Merit Award. Both entries sold to collectors during the exhibition and I very much look forward to pushing this work in the coming years.
Pictured above are Fiona Blanchard - Waiheke Gallery Director centre and Kate Darrow far right . Images centre and right are of Portrait in Clay 3, winner of the Benefactor's Merit Award.
The Reef, a nine-piece installation in hand built glazed stoneware, the second finalist work at the Waiheke Small Sculpture Award.