Sunday 6 May 2018

Get behind the (pottery) wheel

The rise and popularity of ceramics continues to gather new makers and buyers in Melbourne and regional Victoria

From creative types wanting to get behind the wheel and make a piece that means something to them, to buyers and collectors of the ceramic art form, Victoria offers the full range of experiences including social connections and a sense of community.

Melbourne
Brunswick potter, James Lemon believes every piece is made with the intention of mirroring organic shapes; imperfection is the object, highlighting the material origin of each item and the human hands that made it. Students working under this philosophy will sure reap some creative results at the end of each term.

Advanced potters and DIY types can get their tools of the trade from the Northcote Pottery Supplies which stocks pottery materials including clay, glazes, tools and kiln products and offers firing services and. Northcote Pottery Supplies also offers a range of short courses, workshops and masterclasses for those wanting to develop or expand their knowledge of ceramics.

Newest kid on the clay block is Elsternwick’s Céramiques who believes that pottery is not just about churning a mug and saucer. It is about a love and passion complemented with the process of exploring and expressing the attendee’s creativity. Experience is the priority and the piece students get to take home is a bonus.

Those wanting to expand beyond pottery can look through Put your heart into it’s extensive calendar of events from cultivating sauerkraut to basket weaving and of course, pottery. Based in Northcote, workshops are designed to create a sense of community and connections over a seasonal grazing table of local and native foods whilst learning a new skill.

Regional Victoria
Slightly further afield, keen potters can take a road trip to the surf coast and visit the Takeawei studio in Torquay. Road trippers can take a one-day wheel classes or a 6-week courses suitable for beginners and intermediate students.

One of Australia’s oldest working potteries, Bendigo Potteries has been creating high quality ceramics for over 150 years. A major attraction in the Goldfields region, the pottery offers visitors a unique combination of great shopping, hands on clay experiences and the opportunity to step back in time.

Don’t miss
Opened in March 2018, the National Gallery of Victoria is offering ceramic enthusiasts a glimpse into the domestic lives of eras past in A Modern Life: Tablewares 1930s – 1980s. Running until January 2019, this new collection exhibition in the NGV’s popular Decorative Arts corridor will premiere over 140 never-seen-before tablewares including dinner services, pitchers, teapots, mugs and plates from the 1930s to the 1980s.

Exploring the transformation of lifestyles following the austerity of the Second World War, the exhibition will illustrate the shift towards a more contemporary approach to tableware design with the emergence of bold colour, versatility in design and technical innovations. The exhibition, which celebrates a generous gift from Melbourne collector John Hinds, includes works by leading manufacturers Wedgwood, Rosenthal and Poole Pottery and designers Keith Murray, Ulla Procopé, Eva Striker Zeisel and Jens Quistgaard.

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