2024 Emerging Contemporaries Exhibition Catalogue

Emerging 

Contemporaries 

Adelaide Butler | Alexander Sarsfield | Alicia Cox | 

Beth O'Sullivan | Claudia Vogel | Jacky Lo | Jacqui 

Keogh | Justin Wasserman | Kate Shaw | Kirrily 

Jordan | Leanne McKenzie | Matt Walker

Craft + Design Canberra is partially supported by the ACT 

Government, the Visual Arts and Craft Strategy - an 

initiative of the Australia State and Territory Governments, 

and the Australia Council for the Arts - the Australian 

Government's arts funding and advisory body. 

Craft + Design Canberra acknowledges the Ngunnawal 

people as the traditional custodians of the ACT and 

surrounding areas. We honour and respect their ongoing 

cultural and spiritual connections to this country and the 

contribution they make to the life of this city and this 

region. We aim to respect cultural heritage, customs, and 

beliefs of all indigenous people. 

Craft + Design Canberra 

Wednesday - Saturday | 12pm - 4pm 

Or by appointment. 

Level 1, North Building | 180 London Circuit 

Canberra ACT Australia 

02 6262 9333 

www.craftanddesigncanberra.org 

Publisher: Craft + Design Canberra 

Coordination: Waratah Lahy 

Graphic Design: Belinda Neame 

ABN 33 314 092 587 

© Craft + Design Canberra 

Cover Image: Alexander Sarsfield | Māu, Māku (one for you, one for me) | Detail. 2023 | Photo: Brenton McGeachie

Emerging 

Contemporaries 

Adelaide Butler | Alexander Sarsfield | Alicia Cox | Beth O'Sullivan | 

Claudia Vogel | Jacky Lo | Jacqui Keogh | Justin Wasserman | Kate 

Shaw | Kirrily Jordan | Leanne McKenzie | Matt Walker 

16 February - 16 March 2024 

Craft + Design Canberra

Image: Adelaide Butler | ‘Altogther Trifling Matters’, 2023 | Photo: Jack Black

Image: Matt Walker | Liquor Locker (detail), 2023 | Photo: Daniel Mulheran

Image: Alicia Cox | Ostensibly Equal, 2023 | Photo: Courtesy of the artist

Emerging Contemporaries 

Exhibition Statement 

Emerging Contemporaries is Craft + Design 

Canberra’s national award exhibition for early 

career artists. Emerging Contemporaries 

features the works of emerging designers and 

makers from local education institutions 

including Sturt School for Wood, Canberra 

Potters Society, Canberra Institute of 

Technology, and the ANU School of Art + 

Design. 

This exhibition plays a pivotal role in supporting 

and transitioning artists into professional 

practice.

Image: Kirrily Jordan | Sextillion ways to kneel and kiss the ground, 2023 | Photo: Brenton McGeachie

Image: Justin Wasserman | Red Arch, 2023 | Photo: Courtesy of the Artist

Making Connections 

Exhibition Essay 

Emerging from the shadow of the pandemic 

years, 2024’s crop of artists, designers and 

makers represents a return to connection, 

evidenced by a focus on tactility, 

communication, and co-creation. What we 

haven’t returned to is a world we recognise, and 

the artists selected for this exhibition utilise a 

variety of strategies, techniques and 

craftsmanship to grapple with issues both 

timeless and timely. 

What very much unifies the works in Emerging 

Contemporaries is excellence in making. The 

restoration of intensive studio practice in art and 

design schools can be seen in the seamless 

combination of mixed woods and metal in the 

modular sofa/chaise/chair construction of 

Claudia Vogel. Matt Walker’s Liquor Locker, a 

wooden drinks cabinet for the inebriated, has 

had its harsh edges removed ‘for the safety of the 

user’. One can imagine that though its 

inspirations are hot dogs and popsicle sticks, it is 

a serious piece of work. Similarly, I can 

appreciate the precision and detail of Kate 

Shaw’s combination watercolour and 

screenprinted drawings. She works hard to 

create visual storytelling told through a careful, 

measured approach to abstract composition. 

Such labour can also help to expose hidden 

narratives. The act of stitching provides the 

somewhat pixelated effect of Adelaide Butler’s 

delicate portraits of Queen Elizabeth I, among 

other women, in the act of embroidery. These are 

in part products of digital fabrication; yet they 

are very pointed in their depiction of the process 

of the handmade. Intensive layered monoprints 

are worked and reworked to expose the forts of 

Justin Wasserman’s imagination. 

Touch is very much on the agenda of the ceramic 

works represented in this exhibition, whether 

that is Jacky Lo’s kintsugi renewal of a broken 

cup, Jacqui Keough’s Japanese wave-textured 

vases, or Alicia Cox’s dysfunctional domestic 

ware, glazed in high relief so as to render them 

possibly useless. They tell us stories about 

objects in our daily rituals, passions and 

relationships. 

A tactile, contoured surface can also be found on 

Reefinity, the unglazed clay works of Beth 

O’Sullivan. This now familiar visual language is 

an outcome of the process of 3D printing. Whilst 

the technique of printing ceramics has an 

inherent porosity, this property has been used 

as an advantage. Her innovative project 

communicates beyond the creative sphere to a 

decidedly different audience--endangered coral, 

coral polyps and the marine biologists charged 

with preserving them. 

The aspect of connection within and beyond the 

traditional arts audience leads into elements of 

co-creation at the core of the practices of Kirilly 

Jordan and Alexander Sarsfield. Each works 

within an indigenous textile language to reach 

different communities. For Sarsfield, the 

sharing of his Maori culture through weaving a 

fibre vessel and the conversation that takes 

place in that process is an exchange, and one in 

which he hasn’t always chosen easy partners 

with whom to do so. I see his project as one of 

taking risks for the sake of renewing and 

rebuilding relationships, an artistic model for 

reconciliation. Meanwhile, Jordan’s ongoing 

project to share transcultural weaving holds a 

multitude of voices and hands in the making of 

woven sculptural forms. This act of collective 

making decentres authorship, highlights 

ingenuity and celebrates community. 

These artists are exploring the vital edges of 

materials and meaning; their works underscore 

the ongoing relevance of craft and design in the 

contemporary world. I hope that this promising 

array of approaches is indicative of the creative 

practice to come from these emerging voices. 

Jefferey Sarmiento

BIO 

Dr Jeffrey Sarmiento is a glass artist and Senior 

Lecturer at the School of Art and Design at the 

Australian National University, where he is Head 

of Glass. Previously he was Associate Professor 

in Glass at the University of Sunderland, UK, 

where he completed a PhD in 2011. Educated at 

the Rhode Island School of Design, he has also 

been a Fulbright Fellow in Denmark. He has 

taught workshops on glass and print 

internationally, from Pilchuck Glass School in 

the USA to China Art Academy Hangzhou and 

UCOL in New Zealand. 

Known for his creative practice exploring 

cultural identity and the graphic image in glass, 

Sarmiento embeds layers of information in his 

intricately constructed kiln-formed objects, 

sculptures, and public commissions. He won the 

International Glass Prize at Glazenhuis, Belgium, 

and his 2013 solo exhibition at National Glass 

Centre in Sunderland toured to the US. His 

collaborative work was included in Glasstress at 

the 56th Venice Biennale, and recently showed 

with Bullseye Projects in Passage at the Byre, an 

alternative art space in the Scottish Highlands.

Image: Beth O’Sullivan | Untitled 1, 2023 | Photo: Courtesy of the Artist

Image: Adelaide Butler | “She occupies her time most with the needle. – Anna of Kleve”, 2023 | Photo: Jack Black

Adelaide Butler 

ARTIST STATEMENT 

ARTIST BIOGRAPHY 

How do we understand early modern english 

women today, over 400 years later and on the 

opposite side of the world? Their histories are 

constantly shaping our lives, and our current 

perceptions change the way we look back 

through time. So how can we ensure that their 

history is not relegated to irrelevance, nor 

blindly celebrated through nostalgia? 

The early modern women’s embroidery 

practices, long overlooked and ignored, have 

been reimagined as their portraits come 

together, stitch by stitch, to animate the motion 

of sewing. Through the embodied act of 

stitching, their stories are carried into the 

present. 

Adelaide Butler is an emerging interdisciplinary 

artist currently living and working between 

Ngunnawal and Wurundjeri Country. Her work 

explores how we understand the past in a 

contemporary context through a feminist lens; 

centring women’s narratives, particularly in 

domestic spaces. Adelaide recently graduated 

with a Bachelor of Arts / Bachelor of Visual Arts 

(Honours) from the Australian National 

University. 

She has had the privilege of exhibiting at major 

Australian institutions including the National 

Gallery of Victoria as well as in international 

exhibitions. 

Image: Adelaide Butler | “In her moment of triumph. – Elizabeth Tudor”, 2023 | Photo: Brenton McGeachie

Image: Alexander Sarsfield | Māu, Māku (one for you, one for me), 2023 | Photo: Brenton McGeachie

Alexander Sarsfield 


This project arose through a conscious effort to 

bridge my time spent divided between Māori and 

Australian cultures. I welcomed exposure, 

inviting any and every question. Ancestral 

traumas, my opinions on death, and what were 

traditionally used instead of bobby-pins, were all 

on the table. In episodes of co-creating, I found 

renewed opportunities for cultural continuation, 

cultural sharing, and cultural belonging within 

an urban Australian culture. 

The exchanges presented, extend beyond a mere 

conversation. Each iteration of making is a 

tangible acknowledgment of my whakapapa. A 

navigation of living a Māori identity where most 

of my connections cannot pronounce my 

ethnicity. In orchestrating my own vulnerability, 

I seek to bridge this dual identity and build of 

community. With a reciprocated sharing of 

experiences and mutual decision-making, the 

other person’s input shapes my outcome. These 

belongings hold these interactions. 


Alexander Sarsfield is of Ngāi Te Rangi and 

Ngāti Hako descent, and lives on Ngunnawal 

and Ngambri Country. Centering his practice 

around a reflexive process, Alex dabbles across 

crafts to delve into various aspects of 

sociocultural identity and interpersonal 

relationships. More recently, he has been 

learning Māori techniques of making to enjoy 

both a community and research-based practice. 

Alex recently graduated from the Australian 

National University with a Bachelor of Science 

(Psychology) and a Bachelor of Visual Arts. Alex 

was awarded the M16 Artspace Drawing Prize 

2023 and the M16 Artspace Local Artist Award 

for the same prize. 

This year, he is looking forward to presenting 

solo exhibitions in the Goulburn Regional Art 

Gallery and Tuggeranong Arts Centre, awarded 

as part of the Emerging Artist Support Scheme.

Image: Alicia Cox | Pink Cup and Saucer, 2023 | Photo: Courtesy of the artist

Image: Beth O’Sullivan | Vor, 2023 | Photo: Brenton McGeachie

Beth O’Sullivan 


Reefinity is an transdisciplinary research project 

investigating material science (ceramic 

technology), ecology, digital design, and 

manufacturing. Through rethinking the 

relationship between these fields, Reefinity aims 

to support marine biology research by focusing 

on the needs of corals (and coral polyps), such as 

the composition and topographies of the material 

they settle on. 

Computational design and 3D-printing (digital 

fabrication) was explored alongside more 

traditional ceramic forming technologies to 

investigate ways that digital design approaches 

could enhance data collection from settlement 

forms used in the research process. A proof-ofconcept 

design model and prototypes are 

presented, ideal for up-scaling and for further 

exploration in the laboratory and field. 


Beth is a transdisciplinary designer based in 

Canberra (Ngunnawal and Ngambri country) 

and Sydney (Gadigal Country), Australia. She 

works at the intersection of design, ecology and 

emerging technologies. 

With a background in ecology and 

environmental science, her work focuses on 

critically analysing the relationships and 

connections between human and non-human 

species, with a focus on novel, environmentally 

conscious materials.

Image: Claudia Vogel | Adapt A Bench, 2023 | Photo: Lefika Images

Claudia Vogel 


I designed this piece to be more than just a 

bench. Its functionality is much wider: in 

addition to being a comfortable two-seater 

bench, the two removable backrests (stored 

under the bench seat) convert the bench into a 

chair, or two chairs, or a chaise lounge. 

The bench is also wider than usual: ideal to lie 

back on. Its rounded corners and edges, with 

matching cylindrical legs, enhance its look of 

comfort. It is intended to be ideal in an 

apartment, where space is typically limited and a 

multi-functional piece of furniture is particularly 

useful. 


Claudia Vogel is an emerging furniture designer 

and maker who is currently based in Sydney on 

Gadigal County. In her designs, Claudia 

embraces contemporary functionality with 

uniqueness. Often the pieces are multifunctional 

and modular. Her pieces are clear in 

their function but have surprising elements that 

tweak the interest of the viewer or user, to make 

the pieces refreshing and more memorable. 

International design influences are also 

sometimes evident, particularly Japanese and 

Scandinavian influences. 

Her work always puts the beauty of one or more 

species of wood on full display, including 

through visible joinery techniques. Claudia has a 

Bachelors of Industrial Design from University 

of Technology Sydney. Following that degree, 

she realised that she had a particularly strong 

interest in designing and creating in wood. She 

has recently completed a one-year full-time fine 

furniture woodworking course at the Sturt 

School for Wood in Mittagong.

Image: Jacky Lo | Petal Cup with Kintsugi, 2023 | Photo: Courtesy of the Artist

Jacky Lo 


In my journey of crafting practical ceramics, I 

discover beauty in imperfections. Influenced by 

the Japanese repairing technique - Kintsugi, I 

intentionally embrace the defects in each piece, 

considering them integral parts of its narrative 

rather than flaws. 

Using traditional Kintsugi methods, I mend 

broken ceramics with Japanese lacquer, treating 

the process as a metaphor for life's journey. The 

golden seams, where repairs take place, 

symbolize resilience, strength, and the 

transformative power of healing. This fusion of 

function and art transforms imperfections into a 

visual story of renewal, celebrating the beauty in 

the imperfect perfections of our daily lives. 


Jacky, a potter hailing from Hong Kong, is the 

creative force behind the pottery studio known 

as 'Everything Flows.' Together with his partner 

Celine, they form a dynamic duo dedicated to 

the art of pottery. The name of their studio, 

'Everything Flows,' is a testament to Jacky's 

profound belief in the interconnectedness and 

perpetual motion inherent in all aspects of life— 

a philosophy that mirrors the elements of 

pottery: fire, clay, and water. 

Specialising in the creation of tableware, Jacky 

pours his passion into crafting pieces that are 

not only beautiful but also practical for everyday 

use. His attention to detail and commitment to 

quality are evident in every object he makes, 

with each one reflecting his design philosophy 

and approach to his own aesthetic. 

Influenced by Japanese pottery, Jacky infuses 

his work with personal experiences and 

emotions, creating uniquely authentic pieces. 

Each creation embodies Jacky's artistic journey, 

showcasing his profound connection to the craft.

Image: Jacqui Keough | Dark Wave Vase Series, 2023 | Image Courtesy of Artist

Jacqui Keogh 


This series of 5 ceramic vases entitled 'Dark 

Wave' features wheel thrown and hand 

decorated black mid-fired clay. The vessels are 

an exploration of making two part pieces and 

are informed by traditional shapes. The surface 

designs are the result of ongoing 

experimentation with surface patterning using 

found implements. The waves reference the 

traditional Japanese wave motif or Seigaiha and 

express part of my identity associated with 

living for many years beside the ocean and 

almost daily time atop it, paddling ocean surf 

skis and surfboat rowing. 

The wave pattern flows effortlessly, changing 

direction and size as does the ocean's surface. 

The gold elements in my series were initially an 

instinctive reaction to many suggestions that 

my artist initials were too dominant. I decided 

to 'lean into' the reaction and 'go for gold'. Over 

time my block signature has evolved and is a 

bold statement about unapologetically claiming 

space. The gold spots are just pretty and who 

doesn't like a 'bit of bling'? 


Jacqui Keogh Ceramicist, Member Canberra 

Potters Society and Craft and Design ACT. 

Jacqui Keogh is a ceramic artist working from 

her home studio in Narrabundah, ACT. She has 

been practicing ceramics for four years and 

creates unique wheel-thrown and hand 

embellished everyday functional forms. In a 

world of the mass-produced, she celebrates the 

‘hand made’ and ‘slow’ in her products. Each 

piece is individually and lovingly crafted, 

intentionally retaining throwing lines, remnant 

drips and splashes incurred during glazing or 

firing and not perfect finishes. Much of her 

work is hand embellished or decorated and no 

batch is ever quite the same. 

An affinity with the natural environment is 

reflected in her making. Her choices of clays, 

surface decoration and glazes are inspired by the 

beautiful hues of the river mouth, beach and 

ocean at Pambula Beach where she lived for 

many years. She recycles all her clay and fires 

with an electric kiln for sustainability and 

practicality. Using the electric kiln has been a 

catalyst for exploring distinctive decorating 

styles, surfaces and glazes that can be created in 

a mid-fire environment. As a result the works 

‘give back’ something of herself and are imbued 

with a captivating aesthetic.

Image: Justin Wasserman | Fort Golden II, 2023 | Photo: Courtesy of the Artist

Justin Wasserman 


This work presents a series of imagined 

fortresses. The form of the fortress is abstracted 

and reduced to a symbol which is repeated - with 

variations - across the series. Within the 

constraints of this refined form I draw 

inspiration for experimenting with line, texture 

and colour. The multi-plate monoprint technique 

offers endless opportunities for playing with the 

interactions between layers of colour; alternately 

hiding and revealing layers of mark-making. 


Justin is a Canberra-based emerging artist with a 

focus on drawing and printmaking. Justin was 

born in Zimbabwe and moved to Australia in 1988. 

He grew up in Perth before moving east to 

Canberra to work in the public service. Justin 

works from simple ideas influenced by art, 

literature and lived experience, which he then 

pushes as far he can into abstracted forms.

Image: Kate Shaw | Gilded Control, 2023 | Photo: Paul Murray

Kate Shaw 


This body of work revolves around the 

integration of watercolour and fine detail 

overdrawing. Each piece is a calculated 

exploration of balance and technique. The choice 

of watercolour serves as a foundation, allowing 

for nuanced gradations and soft transitions. This 

fluidity sets the stage for the subsequent 

application of ink or screen print, where 

precision and detailing come into play. 

For these works, the decision to incorporate fine 

detail is driven by a desire to elevate the visual 

impact of the work. It serves as a deliberate 

departure from the inherent translucency of 

watercolour, introducing structure and definition 

to the composition. The overlay of details serves 

not only to enhance associations and deepen 

narrative resonance, but also to softly convey 

elements of lived experience. 


Kate is an emerging visual artist using painting, 

drawing and printmaking as her main vehicles 

of communication. Kate was born and raised in 

Canberra and moved to Melbourne in 2010 to 

continue a career in the public sector. She 

relocated back to Canberra a few years ago to be 

closer to family. 

Kate has always enjoyed the arts and design and 

was drawn to restart her creative practice after 

her children started primary school. She 

commenced studying a Diploma in Visual Arts 

at CIT, and has recently graduated. 

The motivation behind this approach lies in the 

pursuit of visual storytelling. By combining the 

subtleties of watercolour with the crispness of 

ink, I aim to portray a harmonious coexistence of 

opposing elements. Each stroke is purposeful, 

contributing to the overall narrative of the piece. 

The hand is evident in the precision of the 

details, emphasising the deliberate decisions 

made throughout the creative process.

Image: Kirrily Jordan | Sextillion ways to kneel and kiss the ground, 2023 | Photo: Brenton McGeachie

Kirrily Jordan 


Crafted by more than 250 people in Alice 

Springs/Mparntwe over ten transformative 

weeks, this playful work demonstrates the 

possibilities of human connection across 

generations, stories, languages, experiences, and 

beliefs. 

It celebrates the profound magic of collective 

making, with each thread an irreplaceable human 

story, and the merging of styles and colours into 

these organic forms becoming a tangible imprint 

of new relationships and deepening connections. 

Reflecting Rumi’s wisdom that there are a 

hundred ways to kneel and kiss the ground by 

offering the world what we love, the title 

venerates both the sacredness of the connections 

made and the joy interwoven in this piece. It 

references one moment among many – the 

infectious laughter that overtook the room when 

one young weaver, searching for a number bigger 

than a hundred, stumbled upon the word 

‘sextillion’ and couldn’t contain his delight. 

Beyond its playful facade the work is also 

intensely political. It recognises all making as a 

relational act rather than the imagined domain of 

the individual, and reflects deep faith in our 

interbeing as a path to both personal happiness 

and planetary healing. 


Kirrily Jordan is a multi-disciplinary artist 

working for social change. With a practice in 

weaving, textiles and socially-engaged arts, 

Kirrily creates projects that connect people to 

each other, rekindle their joy and challenge the 

epidemic of alienation. She firmly believes in the 

role of art in wellbeing, and sees collective 

making an essential tool in building ‘the more 

beautiful world our hearts know is possible’ – 

where people are grounded in themselves, deeply 

connected, and kind to each other. 

Kirrily holds a Bachelor of Design Arts, majoring 

in textiles, from the Australian National 

University and a PhD on cultural heritage from 

the University of Technology, Sydney. She has 

learnt basket weaving from skilled non- 

Indigenous and First Nations practitioners, and 

practices styles either from her own ancestral 

traditions (the British Isles) or with permission 

from her teachers. She is keenly interested in the 

transmission of weaving techniques around the 

world and how this continues to be shaped by 

processes of colonisation and globalisation. 

Kirrily’s projects have received funding from 

state, territory and Commonwealth agencies, and 

this project was assisted by the Australian 

Governments Regional Arts Fund, which 

supports the arts in regional and remote 

Australia. Kirrily has delivered award-winning 

creative workshops in Canberra and nationally 

since 2018.

Image: Leanne McKenzie | Garden Totems, 2023 | Photo: Courtesy of the Artist

Leanne McKenzie 


Garden Totems explores my interest in gardens and reflects 

my passion for both art and nature. My works add pops of 

colour to outdoor spaces and some also serve a functional 

purpose by providing a reservoir for bees to drink. This dual 

functionality adds an interesting and environmentally 

conscious dimension to my work. I enjoy making a variety of 

clay beads using a range of clays, underglazes and glazes 

assembled onto metal rods to create my striking garden 

totems. Some of the totems may have solid pops of colour, 

whilst on others I experiment with surface decoration of 

applying floral embellishments, piped porcelain beading or 

different glaze applications. 


Leanne McKenzie is a primary school teacher living on 

Ngunnawal / Ngambri Country. Most of her life she has 

dabbled with artistic expression through drawing and 

painting. She has a passion for exposing young children to 

creative endeavours and received training through the 

National Portrait Gallery in Visual Thinking Strategies. This 

professional development nurtured Leanne’s abilities to 

expose her students to develop deep looking and thinking 

towards artistic imaginary. Activities such as this support 

children’s skills in creative thinking as well as in literacy 

development. 

In recent years Leanne began developing her own artistic 

practice working with clay. Her exploration of pottery and 

focus on creating items for sculptural interest in gardens 

reflects a passion for both art and nature. The fact that 

Leanne engages with various art communities such as 

Stonecrest Creations in Murrumbateman, Canberra Potters 

Society in Watson and Laughing Frog Studio in Gundaroo 

demonstrates her commitment to honing her craft and 

learning from different sources. Embracing pottery whilst 

working full time as a teacher indicates a continuous journey 

of self-discovery and artistic exploration.

Image: Matt Walker | Liquor Locker, 2023 | Photo: Daniel Mulheran

Matt Walker 


Extruded through the floor, Liquor Locker is a 

whimsical bar cabinet resembling something 

along the lines of a high school locker, a paling 

fence, a handful of paddle pop sticks or a packet 

of hot dogs. Harsh edges have been removed for 

safety of the user, with rounded playful shapes 

emerging at every opportunity. No bar should 

fight back as you stumble over for one last drink. 


This past year has taught me why the 

conventions of woodwork are the way they are— 

cell structure, wood movement and tools 

available point towards a certain language of 

design and craft, honed over thousands of years 

to tame wood. Yet, I like to think I bring a 

certain amount of arrogance and irreverence 

with my design process. I get a kick out of 

pausing at every stage to consider the most 

logical way to approach something, refusing to 

accept it, and running in the other direction. 

Why not? If I can dunk it in stain from 

Bunnings, torture it with fire and gas, or give it 

little red tits, I can’t help myself. 

Perhaps wood is even more stubborn than I am. 

But best believe—mother knows best—I’ll have 

my way with him.

2024 Emerging Contemporaries Exhibition Catalogue

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