The Journal of Australian Ceramics Vol 53 No 2 July 2014

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Focus: Emerging PROFILE: Tessa Wallis The triptych Human Hands in Reproduction, Adaptation and Evolution illustrates my concern with scientific developments that could cause the demise of human health and the environment. It was influenced by the surrealistic paintings of Max Ernst and the ceramics of Janet Beckhouse. The contraceptive pill, plastics and chemicals have introduced so much oestrogen into the environment that there have been negative effects on sperm counts and cancer rates. We may eventually revere the toad and the rat for their reproductive powers! The highly adapted cane toad has decimated native Australian fauna and is spreading quickly. Crows have learnt to avoid their poison sacks by attacking the underbelly! Reptiles and amphibians represent evolutionary links with humans and are included in all three works. Nuclear meltdowns are spreading radioactivity around the world, causing toxicity, mutations and the possibility of the evolution of strange new forms. Imaginary mutations are included in the triptych as well as a dominant 'machine' monster that gobbles up all in its path. Humans look on, horrified at the havoc caused by scientific 'developments'. The lure of ceramics for me is taking a tiny chunk of planet earth, re-shaping it and firing it hard so it could last for centuries. Tessa Wallis, Human Hands in Reproduction, Adaptation and Evolution, 2014 ceramic triptych, earthenware with underglaze. oxide tallest, h.50cm Photo: Ric Wallis
Focus: Emerging From Paint to Clay Caterina Leone talks with Ben Quilty about his recen t cerami c work Caterina Leone: Why did you choose to work in ceram ics? Ben Ouilty: Clay and paint are probably the first mediums you play around with as a child; clay is a fundamental medium for an artist. I've always mucked around w ith clay though I've never actually fired anything. Well, that's not entirely true, as I have used clay to then cast and pour bronze moulds. The Encouragement Award (bronze, 2010) was made from oil-based modelling clay and cast in bronze, so this project was an extension of that. Obviously, the finished artwork has come about through other's expertise, not mine, but I knew that I wanted the object to be in porcelain rather than bronze, to mimic the original object. CL: So it seems as though these works could only have been realised in clay ... SO: The material is integral to the original object and idea. It is a very material-specific project and working in ceramics, with porcelain, was the only way that the idea could have even been formed, let alone realised . The original objects weren 't porcelain; they were quite cheap, stoneware I think, so I wanted to actually make them more culturally important, more refined, more expensive, but actually destroy the functionality of the object at the same time, turning them into art. That raises a funny, fundamental question about the nature of art - you actually have to destroy the functionality of something and use more expensive materials to make it and then it becomes art. But I think that's the thing ... it still does have a function; its function is as a messenger, a storyteller; so it really has a far more important function than it had before. CL: Your work then really makes that functional/non-functional idea ... BO: Dumb! CL: Well it certainly eliminates it. SO: It's not true at all. The function is to inform and create debate, and these works, I hope, do exactly that. CL: Is it strange to work with so many other people and processes not entirely in your control? That must be different to painting. BO: Good question. Alexandra (Alex) Standen really facilitated the whole thing, as well as being an inspiration . Seeing and appreciating her work prompted me to start thinking of a project I could do that involved porcelain. The way she uses porcelain, in a way treats it with such irreverence, giving it a whole new life ... made me think, " I want to use porcelain " . And so then Alex said that she wanted to be involved, and from there it got out of control! That amazing Somchai Charoen got involved, the most humble and clever man, to make the moulds and then finally Louise Martiensen ended up doing the final firings and decals. So it was certa inly a big group effort, a real collaboration. My idea was the start of the project, then all I really did was model the first object with modelling clay, and then it was swept out of my hands and those very clever people basically remade the original object into what it is now. CL: How is working in clay different to painting? SO: I very much knew what they were going to look like as completed works, and I started with an THE JOURNAL OF AUSTRALIAN CERAMICS JULY 2014 59
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WALKER ~ Feeneys Clay Cesco Glazes
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Contents 52 Profile: Leah Fraser 53
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Contributors Stephen Bird is a Sydn
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Above: Bob Connery, bowl and box; S
Page 10: Tri bute: Bob Connery Ceramics by B
Page 15 and 16: MAJOR REPORT ON CRAFT A new report,
Page 17 and 18: Focus: Emerging Opposite page: Alan
Page 19 and 20: Focus: Emerging The Secret to Alana
Page 21 and 22: Alana Wilson, (of/age on Andre; Dav
Page 23 and 24: Focus : Emerging ----- Opposite pag
Page 25 and 26: Alana Wilson, Col/age on Andrei Dav
Page 27 and 28: Charlotte le Brocque, Shaun, The Ov
Page 29 and 30: Charlotte Le Brocque, Say Wha t? 20
Page 31 and 32: ~--- Focus: Emerging Daniel returne
Page 34 and 35: Dog in the Trees The three of us, s
Page 36 and 37: Fo cus: Emerging Some advice from t
Page 38 and 39: Focus: Emerging OWEN RYE I have a p
Page 40 and 41: This is about you> The future. The
Page 42 and 43: Ruth Ju-Shih Li Crystall ine glaze
Page 44 and 45: HUGO MUECKE The exhibition was like
Page 46 and 47: Left: Pippin Drysdale, Lone Rock -
Page 48: Focus: Em erging Above and opposite
Page 51 and 52: Focus: Em erging readers become ver
Page 53 and 54: Focus: Emerging Bokeh Gallery is lo
Page 55 and 56: Focus: Eme rging 21 Reasons to Repe
Page 57 and 58: Focus: Eme rging PROFILE: Home@735
Page 59: Focus: Emerging PROFILE: Thomas Qua
Page 63 and 64: Focus: Emerging original object. Wi
Page 65 and 66: Ben Quilty, from left to right, Scr
Page 67 and 68: National Education Pictorial Survey
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Page 73 and 74: SUNSHINE COAST INSTITUTE, QLD http:
Page 75 and 76: UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA SCHOO
Page 77 and 78: Promotion Three Experiences of our
Page 79 and 80: Promotion In 1985 Gail Nichols Won
Page 81 and 82: Vi ew 1 HERE&NOW14: The state of ce
Page 83 and 84: View 2 Round the Mountain Merrie Ha
Page 85 and 86: Spaces and Places ------- Late Nigh
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Page 89 and 90: Of Layer Cakes and Hokey-Pokey It
Page 92 and 93: St udio An Overflow of Creativity C
Page 94 and 95: Potters Marks 6 1 Christine Sail 2
Page 96 and 97: Ceramic Shots 2 Photographer: Kimie
Page 98 and 99: Artist in Residence Time Out julie
Page 100 and 101: Gatherings On the Edge of the Shelf
Page 102 and 103: Canberra has a secret ... No. not t
Page 104 and 105: Australian Ceram ics Triennale 2015
Page 106 and 107: The Source of Light Two post-gradua
Page 108 and 109: Exhibition Roundup lyndall Bensley
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Virginia Perkins: emerging artist V
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The porcelain biomorphic forms of C
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Stockists ACT canberra potters soci
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Become a member The AUSTRALIAN CERA
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Classifieds CERAMIC SUPPLIES BLACKW
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[EflAmlH AUSTflALIA QUALITY WHEELS,
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Still Firing at 45 Celebrating 45 y
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quality pottery supplies and servic
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Trudie Alfred (1922 - 2010)* was a
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Clay Extruder -all stainless steel
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The Journal of Australian Ceramics Vol 53 No 2 July 2014

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