Selfridge Ceramic Art

Australian Pottery Trip 2004

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In the summer of 2004 we went to Australia to visit our daughter in Surfer's Paradise. We then travelled around New South Wales and Victoria, where we visited with many of our potter friends, looking at their studios, kilns and environs. This then is a travelogue of our 4000km. adventure


Kookaburra birds in Queensland	Carol patting joeys at Steve Irwin's wildlife park


Carol petting a koala in Queensland	Our daughter Amanda petting a joey


"Agro", Steve Irwin's huge pet, who eats power lawnmowers	One of Tony Nankirvus' kilns

We made a trip from Surfer's Paradise to Byron Bay and then to Lismore, New South Wales
to visit Tony and Mary Nankirvus at Southern Cross University. Tony has just retired
from the job of head of ceramics there. Tony's flashing slip, Tony's Blaze, has been a favorite
of ours for wood firing since Richard's residency at Utah State University.


Tony in front of small anagama.	woodfired teabowl 16 cm., Tony Nankervis


Tony with remains of "Dancing Fire Kiln", built by our friend Daniel Lafferty.	Some of Tony's pots on their deck.


woodfired sake cup 10 cm., Tony Nankervis	On the way back to Surfer's Paradise, we toured Nimbin, the hemp capital of Australia, definitely a time warp.

After two and one half weeks of the Queensland sun with our daughter and her
boyfriend, we flew to Sydney for three days of remarkable exploration. Sydney
is an incredible cosmopolitan city with great art and culture.


Sydney's famous Harbour Bridge	Opera House on a summer day


We stayed our first night with Gudrun Klix and her husband Richard Tarrant and viewed her work for her upcoming show. Most were large "boat" pieces. She gave us a tour of her studios, both at home and at the university.


We had a wonderful lunch with Gudrun and Richard, seeing the produce and the boats at the fantastic Sydney fish market.	One of Gudrun's boat forms.

We stayed two nights in Chinatown and toured fantastic art galleries, the harbour bridge,
the opera house, Chinese gardens and took a trip on the ferries from Circular Quay.


Pelican waiting for good food at the Sydney fish market.	"Balmain Bugs", a delicacy at the Sydney fish market.

Gudrun arranged for us to visit her teaching colleague, Mitsuo Shoji at his
home and studio. He gave us a tour of his studio, showing us his paintings
as well. Following this, he treated us to champagne and savories.


His work with melted glass was very impressive and we traded for a two pieces for our collection.	woodfired stoneware plate with glass melt, 24cm., Mitsuo Shoji, Sydney, Australia


porcelain vase14 cm., Gudrun Klix, Sydney, Australia	stoneware plate with overglaze enamels, 20 cm., Mitsuo Shoji Sydney, Australia


The colourful costumes and the animated dragons showed the multicultural side of Australia in cosmopolitan Sydney.	We were in Chinatown for a Chinese New Year Parade.


The Chinese garden had limitless photo opportunities.	Another view at the Chinese gardens

On the way back from Bondi beach, we toured Janet Mansfield's Ceramic Art
Gallery in Paddington. There was a great cross section of Australia's finest
ceramic artists, as well as many international ceramicists.


Bondi Beach in Sydney, on a beautiful sunny summer Sunday.	Alan Pescod's majolica painting was present in Sydney and at our next stop in Mittagong, at Sturt Pottery

We spent two nights at Sturt, giving a slide show and enjoying a pot luck dinner
from the local ceramic artists. Paul Davis organized this event and was a
gracious host, showing us the studios, kilns and gallery, which had the work
of the best contemporary and historic Australian ceramic artists.


The anagama at Sturt.	Some works from the Fifty Year Anniversary Show at Sturt.


One of Alan Pescod's striking sculptures.	Sandy Lockwood's pieces in the gallery at Sturt.


porcelain bowl 14 cm., designed by Paul Davis, Sturt Pottery Mittagong, Australia	woodfired stoneware cup and sake bottle, 13 cm., Paul Davis Mittagong, Australia


Victor Greenaway's gestural porcelain pieces at Sturt.	Another view of the Sturt anagama.


Carol chatting with Svend Bayer, who was doing a three month residency at Sturt.	Svend's bisqueware awaiting his anagama firing.


Svend showing Carol some of his tripod teapots.	salt glazed woodfired porcelain vessel, 13cm., Sandy Lockwood Balmoral Village, Australia

The second day at Sturt, we toured to Balmoral Village and the home
studio of Janine King and Steve Harrison and then on to Sandy Lockwood's
studio. We bought and traded pieces from all three of them.


Steve and Janine's remarkable array of finished work and works in progress. They are makers and kiln builders extraordinaire.	Their anagama kiln.


sliptrailed porcelain sake cup 9 cm., Janine King Balmoral Village, Australia	woodfired porcelain demitasse cup 10 cm., Steve Harrison Balmoral Village, Australia


A view into one of their noborigama style kilns.	Steve, the author of many useful books on woodfiring, contemplating yet another kiln design.

Steve and Janine are great innovators with the use of and
understanding of local materials, both woods and minerals.


Ceramic fibre paper clay, fired and translucent.	A triptich of Steve's woodfired vases.


porcelain thrown serving dish Sandy Lockwood	porcelain saltglazed woodfired mug, 10 cm., Sandy Lockwood


Thrown woodfired tray at Sandy Lockwood's studio	Woodfired saltglazed pieces at Sandy Lockwood's studio

We drove through the Blue Mountains to the interior to Gulgong where we visited with
Chester Nealie and Jan Irvine at their Goanna Ridge studios. Chester took us on a tour
of the property where we saw an amazing collection of wild animals.


The road leading into Chester and Jan's "Goanna Ridge" property	While searching for Chester's place we stumbled onto Alan Pescod's pottery and had a brief tour and visit. His range of work is quite astounding.


Goanna in a tree at Chester's. We saw about six or seven of them. Some were over eight feet long.	The view from the deck to the water hole which has many animal visitors especially in the early evening.


woodfired stoneware vase 17 cm., Chester Nealie Gulgong, Australia	Carol and I hand fed some of the tame emus in Chester's paddock


One of Chester's "pet" goannas	woodfired stoneware bottle 12 cm., Chester Nealie Gulgong, Australia

After we had the animal tour we were joined by Robert Barron who has a large kiln in
Gippsland. He was showing his apprentice, Jo Larkman, around the pottery places in
New South Wales before she returned to England after her three year stay at his
workshop. Chester and Jan fixed us a great meal. It was a splendid evening.


Chester's anagama with Jo Larkman, apprentice to Robert Barron, beside the kiln	woodfired saltglazed bottle with stopper, 13 cm., Chester Nealie Gulgong, Australia


One of Chester's bottle vases on the deck	Chester's kiln in the late afternoon.


A delightful range of the pots in Chester's al fresco showroom.	Gold rush period hotel and bar in center of Gulgong.

After spending the night at one of Gulgong's historic hotels, and looking around
the famous "Gold Rush" environs and museum, we went out of town to
Janet Mansfield's country home and pottery studio Morning View.


The main house at Morning View.	Janet's anagama kiln.

There are many kilns at Janet's as she has hosted many international pottery
events here with invited guests and participants building their own special designs.
The place abounds with pots and sculpture installations from these events.


Carol inspecting a John Neely "Train" kiln.	Some of Janet's woodfired pots emerge from the shade.


The Fred Olsen "Car" kiln at Janet's.	After a morning visit with Chester and selecting some works for our collection we drove to Cowra where we saw a range fire in the early evening.

We had come to Cowra to see Greg Daly's work at a show at a winery and to
visit the Japanese garden that is a memorial to the Japanese prisoners of war
who were killed while attempting to escape during the second world war.


A view of the Cowra garden.	Koi in the Japanese garden

From Cowra, we headed to Canberra with a stop to visit Ian Jones and Moraig McKenna at
their pottery at Gundaroo. They have established a pottery and residence in an old church.


One of the many woodfired kilns at Gundaroo.	woodfired stoneware cup 9 cm., Ian Jones Gundaroo, Australia


woodfired faceted stoneware vase, 20 cm., Ian Jones Gundaroo, Australia	Another outdoor sales display of Ian and Moraig's woodfired porcelain and stoneware


inlaid porcelain cup 10 cm., Moraig McKenna Gundaroo, Australia	woodfired stoneware cup 8 cm., Moraig McKenna Gundaroo, Australia

After checking into our hotel in Canberra, we met up with Ian and Moraig at the gallery
at the ANU art department. We attended the opening of the graduating show of two MFA
ceramic students. We were pleased to run into our friend Janet DeBoos, who although
on sabbatical, had come back to Canberra for the show. We arranged to meet the next
day for lunch and a tour of her ceramic department.


porcelain ewer, 19 cm., Janet DeBoos, Canberra, Australia	Janet De Boos' translucent porcelain at her studio at Australia National University in Canberra.


Janet De Boos' porcelain, which she has adapted for bone china designs made in both Italy and China.	ANU Master's student, Byong Chan Seo, woodfired show piece in ANU gallery.

We toured around Canberra and saw some excellent work in the public galleries,
expecially painting and sculpture in the National Gallery. We then connected with
our colleague, Daniel Lafferty, and drove to the coast to Cobargo for a two day visit
with his wife, Gabriella and his children, Alice and Jack. It was alot of fun.


Daniel at the entrance to his workshop.	woodfired stoneware teabowl 13 cm., Daniel Lafferty Cobargo, Australia


Daniel's amazing brickwork in the domed roof of his woodfired car kiln.	Some of Daniel's woodfired work in his al fresco showroom.


An impressive vessel with inclusions.	Bossy goose organizing the others.


On a hot day, Daniel got us a "gelati treatment" at the clinic.	Daniel's hand built house made from adobe bricks was very cool and comfortable in the heat.

Daniel took us on a day trip to the beach for a great swim, then to an historic
village and then down the coast to Yuri Weidenhofer's studio, where we saw
his anagama and some kilns that were built at an earlier conference/workshop.


One of Yuri's woodfired kilns.	woodfired stoneware saki cups,7 cm., Yuri Weidenhofer, Barrabooka Pottery, Tanja, Australia


One of the kilns that Daniel Lafferty built at Yuri's.	Another anagama of Daniel's making at Yuri's.


The cupboard in Yuri's open air kitchen, with many works by important Australian potters.	The interior of Yuri's anagama. He throws in bones from the butcher to get bone ash effects on his amazing wood fired pots.

After our two night stay with Daniel's family, we drove down the coast and
stopped at Lakes Entrance to visit the studio of Victor Greenaway.


translucent porcelain bowl 11 cm., Victor Greenaway Lakes Entrance, Australia	Victor Greenaway and Carol in his studio.


One of Victor's impressive recent oil paintings.	An echidna in the field that Carol spotted from Victor's window. These ancient creatures dig in and hold on to the ground when threatened.


stoneware demitasse mug 12 cm., Victor Greenaway Lakes Entrance, Australia	stoneware mug 10 cm., Victor Greenaway, Lakes Entrance, Australia

From Victor's place, we drove to Boolara South to Barbara and Dr. Owen Rye's home
and studio in Gippsland. Many of our contacts with Australian woodfiring potters were
the result of our association with Owen, a much revered "dean" of Australian woodfirers.


The sideboard in Owen's dining room, with many special pots including one of our flattened cups.	Dr. Owen Rye and his anagama in Gippsland.


Some of the remaining native trees at Owen's place in Gippsland.	The interior of Owen's anagama. He fires it for about 100 hours to achieve spectacular and subtle woodfired effects.


woodfired stoneware plate 29cm., Owen Rye Gippsland, Australia	Small special pots in Owen's studio.


woodfired stoneware vase 22cm., Owen Rye Gippsland, Australia	woodfired stoneware cup 12 cm., Owen Rye Gippsland, Australia

We travelled from Owen's place to Wilson's Promentory, the southernmost part of
continental Australia. Dramatic scenery and some interesting animals are found
here in this national park.


We had a brief dip in the ocean at Wilson's Prom. The water was much colder than the water in Queensland.	A dramatic view towards Tasmania from the rocks at Wilson's Prom.

The next day, we met with Robert Barron and went to his
studio which has the largest noborigama kiln in Australia. We had
first met Robert when he stopped for a visit at our studio in 1980.


woodfired stoneware fish bowl 23cm., Robert Barron Kardella, Australia	woodfired stoneware mug 11 cm., Robert Barron Kardella, Australia


Three of the five chambers of Robert's kiln	The interior of the large firebox of Robert's kiln, where he sometimes pulls over large vessels at the end of the firing to submerge them in charcoal and ash.


An al fresco showroom, showing some of the very large work that Robert produces from this kiln.	woodfired stoneware pan 23 cm., Robert Barron Kardella, Australia


woodfired stoneware mug 10 cm., Jo Larkman apprentice to Robert Barron, Gooseneck Pottery Kardella, Australia	woodfired stoneware bottle 13 cm., Robert Barron Kardella, Australia

The following day, we took the ferry across the mouth of Port Phillip
sound and proceeded to Lorne for a visit with Graeme Wilkie.


woodfired stoneware mug 11 cm., Graeme Wilkie Lorne, Australia	Graeme's kiln in his QDOS ARTS sculpture garden and gallery/restaurant.


One of Graeme's sculptures amongst the gum trees in the garden.	The interior view to the chimney of Graeme Wilkie's large anagama.

After a great lunch and rave-up with Graeme, we toured around his studio and
gallery and sculpture garden and then had a rest at the B&B he had booked
for us. The next day we drove down the coast to see the koala bears in
the wild at Kennett River and the dramatic "Twelve Apostles".


A view of the "Twelve Apostles" on the Great Ocean Road.	The pounding surf from the Antarctic Ocean, which has formed the "Twelve Apostles".

After two days in Lorne and driving on the Great Ocean Road, we drove to Melbourne
where we saw the works of many of the potters we had visited on our trip at the Scepsi
Gallery. We saw important paintings, like Pollock's "Blue Poles", in the major public
galleries as well as historic ceramic collections. Melbourne was a wonderful three
day experience, a fitting send-off for our long flight back to Canada.


porcelain cut bowl 20 cm., Graeme Wilkie Lorne, Australia	A well travelled Aborigine muscian playing the traditional "digeridoo" on the main sidewalk in Melbourne.

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