The Journal of Australian Ceramics Vol 49 No 1 April 2010

Community
Jim Robison and Ken Munsie congratulating Ian Reid (centre)
on hIs prize-wlnnmg pot at Maleny Artwork
Jim Robison and Megan Puis at
Maleny Artworks
Jim Robison in Australia
Liz Robison reports on six wonderful events in t he eastern states
A visit to the UK studio of Jim Robison in October 2008 by Jackie Gasson and a group of potters from
Queensland's Sunshine Coast resulted in an invitation for Jim to visit Australia in October 2009 as an
international guest.
The first events were in Townsville, courtesy of the North Queensland Potters Association, where Jim
judged the National Ceramics Competition entries at the Perc Tucker Regional Art Gallery. A suitably
controversial choice for Best In Show was given to Rowley Drysdale for his Fused Feldspar Trough. It
really pushed boundaries and is now in the gallery's permanent collection of ceramics.
At the awards ceremony Jim gave a slide show about his work as well as demonstrating his
techniques over the next two days at the North Queensland Potters workshops. Jim makes large
sla bware pieces with impressed and slip decoration with the use of layering and extrusions for rims,
handles and feet. Two pieces were left behind to be bisque fired and added to their collection of
contemporary ceramics.
Next stop was the Sunshine Coast where the four-day Spring Fever biennial ceramics festival took
place. The five demonstrators provided suitable variety in their approaches to make riveting watching.
Vipoo Srivilasa, from Victoria, is a hand-builder whose work is theatrical, flamboyant and humorous and
the audience also had a hands-on session under his direction. Jim demonstrated construction of big
work, slam-dunk dishes using a wooden frame, and how to make impressed slabs into tiles. Fleur Schell,
from WA, hand-built her work in porcelain, as well as press moulding in a process of cut and paste that
resu lted in extraordinary narrative pots. buildings and Heidi figures. Ian Jones, from NSW, who produces
wood-fired work that is largely functional. inspired by Japanese traditional ceramics and the Anglo­
Oriental Leach tradition, made a large platter involving wire-cutting and the pounding of eight bags of
clay. Shannon Garson also demonstrated some of her delicate decorating techniques.
Sponsorship is always an important aspect of ceramics festiva ls. David Walker from Walker Ceramics
provided a variety of clays for the demonstrations. At the important panel discussion on marketing,
David made many valid points about how the ceramicist needs to work actively to help customers learn
about the craft. Shannon Garson discussed using new technologies to promote work, whilst Vipoo
explored issues relating to relationships between artists and galleries. Jim talked about the importance
100 THE 10URNAL OF AUSTRALIAN CERAMICS APRIL 2010