Artist Statement

Studio pals Micky and DJ

​My ceramic practise takes three avenues:

• narrative sculpture
• collaborative art projects with Small Stories, the LUSH COLLECTIVE and others
• exhibition curation

Each path is important to me for different reasons.

My sculpture is expressive narrative and explores the universe of inner stories, landscapes and alter-egos we carry around inside of us.  The work is gestural, and always shows evidence of its making and firing.  It often incorporates contributions from ceramic friends; a significant emotional element for me.  Sculpture allows me to express my artistic visions.

Helen Perrett and I form a collaborative duo called Small Stories.  We've been working together creating narrative ceramic exhibitions for nine years and each project we undertake together drives us to expand our concepts, skills and artist expression (not to mention the large amount of fun we have whilst doing it). 

It is important for my work to have a destination.  If there are no projects on the horizon, I usually create one by curating a group show that challenges the participants into exploring their artistic life in a new way.






 

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C.V.

The Making of Adam, Auckland 2011


​CURRENT

• Sculptor 
• Curator
• Tutor in clay sculpture, group performance firing, backyard kiln building​
• Founder of Community Hearth Firing Events

EDUCATION 

• Bachelor of Visual Arts (Contemporary Craft), Unitec, Auckland, NZ, 2011
• Diploma of Ceramic Arts, Otago Polytech, Auckland, NZ, 2008 – 2010
• Painting Portraiture, Morley College, London, UK, 2002 – 2005
• Sculpting from Life, Morley College, London, UK, 2001 – 2005
• Bronze and Glass Casting, CAE, Melbourne, Australia 1998-2000
• Life Drawing, Hawthorn School of Art, Melbourne, Australia, 1995 – 2000
• Certificate Cultural and Environmental ​Interpretation, Deakin University, Melbourne Australia, 1996

PUBLICATIONS AND CATALOGUES

• UKU Clay Catalogue, 2022
• Waiclay Catalogue, 2019
• Portage Ceramic Awards Catalogue, 2016, 2018
• Auckland Studio Potters.  Fire & Clay Annual Exhibition, 2009-2013, 2015-2016, 2022
• NZ Society of Potters.  52nd National Ceramics Exhibition Catalogue, 2011, 2015
• AGS Art Expo, Auckland, 2014
• Dunser, S. Where to from Here. Journal of Australian Ceramics, April 2013
• Waikato Times. Project takes Potters on Journey of Self-Discovery, 2012
• St Lawrence, Susan.  The Making of Adam, Madcap Publications, Auckland, 2011​

OTHER

• Artist-in-Residence, Creative Waikato, Hamilton, NZ, July 2013, 2014, 2016
• Judge, Waikato Society of Potters Annual Exhibition, 2013; Franklin Arts Festival 2014, 2016
• Curator; Time and Tide, 2022, CHARMED, 2021, A River Runs Through Us, 2018; There's More To Me Than Me, 2017; LUSH 2016; Random Moments of Joy 2013;  Waikato Society of Potters Annual Exhibition, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017; 9 Degrees of Happiness, 2012; Lasting Impressions 2011. 
• Artist-in-Residence, Waikato Society of Potters, Hamilton, NZ, 2012, 2016, 2019
• Kiln Building Education Exchange led by Peter Lange, Dehua, China, 2009
• ​www.yuejiyao.com/cn/default.shtml

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Exhibitions & Awards

Horse I, Gateway Gallery, Waipa, 2012

• Cing of Adam, Unitec, Auckland, NZ, 2011

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​ART AWARDS

• Supreme Award, Waikato Soc. Potters 2019
• Honourable Mention, Portage Awards, 2018
• Finalist Portage Awards, 2016
• 2nd Place, NZ Potter Assoc, 50th Anniversary Celebration Exhibition, 2015
• 2nd Place, Auckland Studio Potters, Fire & Clay, 2013
• People’s Choice Award, Auckland Studio Potters Fire and Clay, 2012
• Sonia & Les Andrews Ceramic Scholarship, 2010
• Best in Class, Drawing Award, Manukau School of Visual Arts, 2007

COLLECTIONS

• James Wallace Art Trust, New Zealand
• Work held in private collections in Australia and New Zealand

SMALL STORIES COLLABORATION WITH HELEN PERRETT

• The Alchemists' Daughters,  Hamilton, NZ, 2021
• Lost & Found, ArtsPost, Hamilton, NZ, 2017
• Library of Legends, ArtsPost, Hamilton, NZ, 2016
• Small Stories II, Front Room Gallery, Auckland, NZ. 2015
• StUF: from the collections of St Ursula Ferrett, Kina Gallery, New Plymouth, NZ, 2015
• wishUwereHere, ArtsPost, Hamilton, NZ, 2014
• Small Stories I, Corelli’s, Auckland, 2012
• Cake on a Plate, Corelli’s, Auckland, 2012

EXHIBITIONS 

• UKU Clay, Hastings, NZ, 2022
• Form & Figure, The Clay Centre Gallery, Auckland, NZ, 2022
• Time And Tide, LUSH COLLECTIVE, Arthaus, Auckland, NZ, 2022
• AVANTE, Deciduus Gallery, NZ, 2022
• CHARMED:Stories in the Landscape, group installation, Waitakaruru Sculpture Park, NZ, 2021
• The Space Between Us, ​(collaboration with Carole Driver) ArtsPost, Hamilton, NZ, 2021
• Waiclay, (finalist), Waikato Museum, NZ, 2019
• Lepus Fantasticus, Deciduus Gallery, NZ, 2019
• A River Runs Through Us, ​Wallace Art Gallery, Morrinsville, NZ, 2018
• Sweet Surprise, Deciduus Gallery, NZ, 2018
• There’s More to Me than Me: an installation on reverie, LUSH COLLECTIVE, (curator & participant), ArtsPost, Hamilton, NZ, 2017
• LUSH,  (curator & participant), ArtsPost, Hamilton, NZ, 2016
• Vessel: Rethinking Function, Auckland, 2015, 2016
• Claybenders, The Depot, Auckland, 2015, 2016, 2017
• Uncanny: From the Wallace Art Trust Collection, Pah Homestead, Auckland, NZ, 2015
• Dynamic Ceramics, Cambridge, NZ, 2014, 2015
• Waikato Society of Potters Annual Exhibition, Hamilton, NZ, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2019 (Supreme Award)
• Songs of Fire, Draw Inc, Hamilton, NZ, 2013
• Random Moments of Joy, (curator & participant), Matakana, NZ, 2013
• The Wild Things, Flametree Gallery, Auckland, NZ, 2013
• 9 Degrees of Happiness, (curator & participant), Matakana, NZ, 2012
• Lasting Impressions, (curator & participant), Matakana, NZ, 2011
• NZ Ceramics Annual Exhibition, Auckland, NZ, 2011, 2015 (2nd place)
• Fire and Clay, Auckland, NZ, 2008 - 2010, 2012 (People’s Choice Award), 2013 (2nd place), 2015, 2016, 2017, 2022 (Special Merit)

·       Plus various since 2006