Pottery In Australia Vol 36 No 2 Winter 1997

The Art of Glaze
New work by ROWLEY DRYSDALE, exhibited at Fusions Gallery, Queensland.
Review by STEPHANIE OUTRIDGE FIELD.
Rowley Drysdale is a
consummate 'glaze man' as
well as manipulator of clay,
su rface and image and the work
included in this solo show covers
many aspects of the material.
There are metallic shimmering
skinned forms that are precise,
cleanly cut slabs and precisely
thrown works. Some are bronze
with shiny crystals breaking
across the surface. Some are
lusciously combined with other
glazes on the interior of forms.
The Fishscale crackle series has
an icy mint green celadon
crackling in ordered fish scale
layers on the interior su rface of
small bowls. There is also a 'Red
Centre' bowl series that contains
a deep blood maroon glaze that
you can almost fall into it is so
deep and rich.
The monumental 'Earthsafe
Tabernacle' series are impressive
and worthy of quiet reflection.
They remind me of Marea
Gazzard's large forms - dley have
an uncluttered simplici ty and
'Earthsafe Tabernacle'. Multiple fired.
69cm x61cm.
'Departure'. Glaze pane. 36cm x 27cm.
unfussed surface that is stony and
seemingly everlasting. Very much
testament pieces.
'Escarpment Man' and 'Emergent'
are both wall panels combining
glazed ceramic tiles and timber.
This series is a quilt of textures as
image with colour and shape in a
narrow surface relief that give the
feeling of viewing ancient marks of
man. The perspex encourages an
atitude of intrusion and voyeurism
as well as allowing a modicum of
protection of the collages.
The 'Glaze Panes' are crystalline
like frozen tablets of glacial ice.
Quite magical.
Colour is just part of Drysdale's
artistic palette. He uses a variety of
forms, textures, scale and light to
produce visually appealing work.
These fulfill many roles; some are
storytellers, some expressions of
technique and form , some
challenge our concepts of the use
of 'ceramic' in an unexpected way.
This exhibition showcased the
myriad of possibilities for a creative
visual practitioner. 00
50 POnERY IN AUSTRAUA + ISSUE 36/2 WlNTER 1997