Rekindling
Nelson’s Suter Art Gallery is rekindling its connection with local potters with a new ceramics exhibition. After more than a decade of absence, the ceramics exhibition at the gallery is back, and here to stay.
Suter Art Gallery curator Sarah McClintock said the top of the south had been considered ‘‘a home’’ for ceramics for a long time.
‘‘With its earth rich in clay, robust arts community and commitment to excellence amongst studio potters, the ceramics here have become amongst the best in the world.’’
She said the last local ceramics exhibition had been ‘‘long before her time’’ and she decided the gallery was ‘‘well past the due date’’ to have a show that ‘‘highlights the work of the people of this region’’.
‘‘Ceramics are handcrafted art works that we use, admire, and live with throughout our daily lives.’’
McClintock said the new exhibition Fire & Earth, Body & Bone aimed to revitalise the relationship between the gallery and the ceramicists.
‘‘I’ve been here for 18 months and what I knew of Nelson is that it was a place of ceramics.
‘‘I feel really passionately about the fact that if Nelson is continuing to say we have the best ceramics then we need to be showing them.’’ Ceramicists from around the region were asked to submit up to three of their best works, and the gallery received 70 submissions. McClintock said they then selected the best 39 works, with the aim to create a show that highlighted the breadth of the clay work made in the regions. ‘‘An important point of the decision making process was the quality of the works. ‘‘It was difficult to make the selection because they were all so good.’’ The ceramicists included in this exhibition are Erika Aupperle, Cammie Blaisdell, Kirsten Boswijk, Vicki Charles, Ian Dalzell, Darryl Frost, Steve Fullmer, Mandy Gargiulo, Katie Gold, Frank Graham, Russell Harding, Paul Laird, Royce McGlashen, Sue Newitt, Ezmic Partington, Mike Perry, Sue Pidgeon, Michael Potter, Sue Scobie, Sara Scott, Jim Trembath, Glen Waters, Kiran Winspear and Paul Winspear.
The range of pottery is wide, from traditional domestic ware to conceptual installation pieces.
‘‘It runs from very high quality domestic wear to big sculptural pieces that are large and delicate,’’ McClintock said.
‘‘I’m really impressed with how the ceramicists really pushed their practice to show how good they are.’’
She couldn’t say what her favourite piece was, because ‘‘it’s like asking someone to choose their favourite child’’.
‘‘But my personal highlight was that some of the ceramicists were surprised by the work other people had done.
‘‘This is a small community so everyone knows each other, but people were producing unexpected things which excited each other.’’
McClintock said she was pleased to see how serious the ceramicists had taken the gallery’s challenge to show off their best work.
‘‘I’ve taken two ceramics classes and that was enough to make me realise how truly difficult it is to master ceramics.
‘‘You can make something perfect and beautiful but at the end of the day the kiln can decide it isn’t going to work.’’
She said pottery was very different in that aspect to other art forms such as painting, as you ‘‘have to give yourself over to the fire of the kiln’’.
‘‘It’s a great way to develop patience and the ability to let go.’’
McClintock said they were planning to make the ceramic exhibition a biennial event to give ceramicists plenty of time to work on their pieces.
Fire & Earth, Body & Bone is on at the Suter Art Gallery until February 25.