‘‘Doreen Blumhardt’’, Dame Doreen Blumhardt
(Brett McDowell Gallery)
DAME Doreen Blumhardt was an important pioneering New Zealand ceramicist whose own work is today often overshadowed by her work in art education and her legacy as founder of the Blumhardt Foundation for New Zealand decorative arts. It is sadly rare to see an exhibition of her work in Dunedin, something which the current exhibition at Brett
McDowell Gallery — coinciding with the 11th anniversary of her death — goes some way to redress.
Blumhardt’s work was strongly influenced by Japanese tradition, but with stylistic features and a quality of workmanship which sets it apart. The current exhibition features eight works, each of them exemplifying her style, and ranging in date from the mid 1960s through to the late 1980s.
Two works stand out as the stars of the exhibition. One, a pressmoulded vase, is an elegant piece, its graceful profile perfectly complemented by the use of coppercoloured glaze. The other, the largest piece on display, is a robust and stylish floor pot. The Japanese influence is clear in this piece, and the bold use of colour and glaze gives it the seeming solidity of stone. Other pieces on display include an impressive ashglazed bowl and a group of charming small vases.