Pottery in Australia Vol 17 No 1 Autumn 1978

JEAN-JACQUES V ASCHALDE and
NINA BIERMAN
Joy Bowman Galleries
Joy Bowman Galleries make a very beautiful
environment for the pottery exhibition
of husband and wife team Jean­
Jacques Vaschalde and Nina Bierman.
Jean-Jacques' very individual ceramics
include platters and large bottle forms
where magic has resulted from the idea
of letting his wife's hands hug, ever so
gently, the form before firing, so that
the hands are impressed on the wet glaze
only and then fuse with it in the firing.
Another charming pot form which is
Jean-Jacques' speciality is a plump pumpkin
form with a delicate frilly, nondetachable
lid .
Nina shows numerous spheric forms
with nipples. These sensual pieces have
no connotations with funky art. She explains
them as the natural result of recent
motherhood. Nina's outstanding
piece, however, is a large platter with a
superb sang-de-boeuf glaze.
Dr Gertrude Langer
Courier Mail, Nov. 5, 1977
JEAN JACQUES VASCHALDE
NJNA BJERMAN
CHRIS SANDERS
Imago Gallery, and
DULCE HERD
Potters' Cottage
There's a generous feeling about much of
Chris Sanders' pottery exhibited at
Imago Gallery, 3 Powell Street, South
Yarra.
The exhibition presents a range of
tableware, including a complete dinner
setting, tea service with a family-size teapot,
tureen sets, jars, goblets, various
boxes, and some large pots.
The shapes and glazes in this primarily
functional exhibition are of a kind to
appeal to those who admire pottery that
is earthy without being rough, smart
without being slick, and liberal in size
and proportion without being gross.
The tureen sets glazed in rich tan combined
with pale interiors for the tureens
are excellent examples of these qualities.
The accompanying ladles are also fine
to look at and to hold. But the potter
should consider altering the position of
the lips for more comfortable and efficient
pouring, without sacrificing their
otherWise strong design.
Of the more ornamental pieces, one
large pot with incised markings below
the neck and decorated in pale, subtle
glazes also illustrates his natura.l feeling
for the sensuous in shape and proportion.
His work will not obtrude upon the
households it eventually occupies, but
will bring warmth to the day-to-day living
of the occupants.
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