Photo: Samuel Hartnett, courtesy Peter Hawkesby and Anna Miles Gallery.
Auckland Studio Potters: Fire & Clay 2018
14 November 2018 – 9 December 2018
Opening Celebration: Tuesday 13 November 2018, 6-8pm.
Fire & Clay 2018 showcases and awards the outstanding pottery and ceramics of members of the Auckland Studio Potters (ASP). This annual exhibition celebrates excellence in ceramic practice and demonstrates both the depth and breadth of experience of ASP members, who range from senior practitioners to impassioned amateurs, as well as students studying in craft, design or fine arts programmes. The work on show includes functional ware and sculptural pieces, and encompasses a wide variety of making, glazing, and firing techniques.
There will also be a display of work by our guest artist Peter Hawkesby.
Our selector this year is Kim Paton, the director of Objectspace, the leading public gallery in New Zealand dedicated to craft, design and architecture. She has curated and written extensively on craft and contemporary art and is co-author of the book Contemporary Jewellery in Context, published by Arnoldsche Art Publishers and released in July 2017.
Peter Hawkesby's career as a ceramic artist, spans 50 years and is punctuated by periods of intense production and long periods of having to look elsewhere. The ceramic works that first graced the Auckland scene in the late 1970s gave credence to clay as a means of expression, rather than ceramics as a discipline. The two distinguishing characteristics of Hawkesby's oeuvre are his abiding interest in hand-building, and a deep regard for the vicissitudes of the kiln environment. Both attributes are clearly demonstrated in this group of votive objects on display at the Pah Homestead.
We would like to acknowledge the sponsors who support our exhibition: CCG Industries, The Driving Creek Rail Trust, The Rick Rudd Foundation, Decopots, and The Wallace Foundation, which sponsors a 3-month residency at the ASP as one of the exhibition awards. Also, special thanks to our exhibition designer, John Parker.
The Auckland Studio Potters (ASP) was founded in the early 1960s. It is now a successful community organisation based in Onehunga, Auckland, with over 300 members including ceramic artists, students, collectors, and educators. The ASP promotes pottery and ceramics in the Auckland region at all levels, and gives its members the opportunity to participate in a variety of exhibitions. Our services include a premier teaching facility where each week 8 day and evening classes are held, ranging from beginners to advanced students. A Diploma in Ceramics is administered from Dunedin with studio modules taught at the Auckland Studio Potters Centre in Onehunga. The ASP also caters for many community groups, play centres, special needs groups, and school children. For more information, visit: www.ceramics.co.nz
