Handmade (Ceramics)

I have a thing for pottery - beakers, bowls, pots... I love them. I love handmade things that are functional and beautiful, and nothing quite encapsulates that the way that ceramics do. From the earth, transformed by skill and heat to become something wonderful.

It all started when I was given a Chris Plumridge beaker about a decade ago. I now have half a dozen as well as two of Chris's jewellery boxes - I use them for salt and pepper though!

These lovely porcelain cups are by Samantha Robinson. Melanie gave them to me when she was still working at Market Lane.

This one came from Craft Vic, and was made by Bridget Bodenham.

These are but some of Zak's MANY pots that I have accumulated. I love the variation - from his celedon graduation pieces to hefty stoneware to fine porcelain. Talented bloke.

This is from Sari Api in Ubud - complete with my inadvertent collection of apostle spoons.

I bought these at a little gallery in Adelaide  - they're by Jane Burbidge.

These are by Arnaud Barraud and look lovely, but when using cutlery to eat out of them they scrape like nails on a blackboard... Eek!

I found these little beauties in an op shop. They're Martin Boyd egg cups - from a time when eggs were a little smaller...

This is a lovely, tactile piece by Biggi Spiro.

This came from Latrobe Regional Gallery too. I wish I could remember the potter's name but I don't. It is signed MH '02. The text reads...

"Measuring the spaces between two houses, the distance is not in metres but in time, it's not that I need a ruler but that I need a bottle to contain the water that is shed..."

Kirsty Sutherland was once Kirsty Rogers. You can see her glazed 'KR' on the base of the small pot in the centre. It came from her graduation exhibition of 100 pots. The remainder are from when she was based at Kardella working with Rob from Gooseneck and was anticipating being married to Kynan by signing her pots with her (then yet-to-be) married name.

Gippsland potter Victor Greenaway made these beakers that are lovely to look at as they are to use.

I picked up this Lisa Boyter piece in Launceston in 2004 at the beautiful design centre. It was all I could do to get out with just this...

This was another gift from Mel. I think it came from Craft Vic but as for who made it...

These two bowls came from Darwin's Territory Craft in 2004. In the first the indentations are so deep as to allow the light through but still the bowl is entirely watertight. I love the confidence of the flash of green glaze in the second.

And finally, these two were also a gift. They are the finest pieces I have, as thin as skin. The paintings on their faces are delicate too. I've lost contact with the gift-giver and have no idea where they came from or who made them. There was an earthquake today while I was taking these photographs. I watched helpless from across the room as these two beakers teetered... All's well...