The Journal of Australian Ceramics Vol 52 No 3 November 2013
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Focus: Ecology and Cerami cs<br />
OpPosIte page: Cathy f ranzi, Red Hill, detail, <strong>2013</strong>. wheelthrown porcelain, 1240QC, h. 14cm, w.7cm<br />
biodiversity hotspot. A haven within a reserve, surrounded by cleared agricultural land as far as the eye<br />
can see. In January <strong>2013</strong> a catastrophic fire swept through destroying 80-90 % <strong>of</strong> the area . I haven't<br />
been back yet.<br />
<strong>The</strong> English countryside and the <strong>Australian</strong> bush are vastly different and Australia's environmental<br />
history since British colonisation has been shaped by this contrast. Settlers came with a fundamentally<br />
different experience and expectation <strong>of</strong> the physical environment. Landscape changes were rapid and<br />
extensive, while advances in understanding the rich and unique biodiversity <strong>of</strong> the continent have<br />
happened only gradually.<br />
Environmental history is just one aspect to the subject <strong>of</strong> my ceramic work, which can be broadly<br />
described as the <strong>Australian</strong> botanical narrative, the stories <strong>of</strong> <strong>Australian</strong> plants and people. It<br />
encompasses interactions both scientific and cultural, ranging from exploration, conservation and<br />
climate change to botanical illustration and perceptions <strong>of</strong> the environment. Foremost is the plant<br />
itself, primary to my surface imagery, but it is how the plant is located within its physical and cultural<br />
environment that is integral to the final work. This process starts with heading out into the field to study<br />
the plant, its environment and the challenges it faces.<br />
Cathy Franzi, Golden Hm, <strong>2013</strong>, wheelthrown porcelain, 12400(, h.20cm, w.21cm; photos: David Paterson<br />
THE JOURNAL OF AUSTRALIAN CERAMICS NOVEMBER 201) 4'
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