Another Year, Come and Gone

I want to take a little time to review the year just passed before I start with new plans for 2010. For me 2009 was an incredible year. Starting with the World Ceramics Biennial in Korea, where I had work accepted and shown. This was the first time I had entered an international competition, and what an honor it was to be a part of this magnificent collection of ceramics. I sold my fist piece of work outside South Africa through the Cecilia Coleman Gallery in London. I was one of the 'Ikons of South African Craft' at Decorex in Johannesburg and I participated in a number of group shows in Johannesburg, Pretoria and Durban. I had and article published in 'Ceramics Technical' on developing translucent bodies. I was asked to be a selector for the Ceramics Southern Africa Regional Exhibition in Pretoria. I was also accepted as a member of the International Academy of Ceramics. 2009 saw the end of my time as a full-time lecturer in Ceramic Design at the University of Johannesburg, one of the most rewarding periods I can recall, I will be continuing this year on a part-time basis. And last, but certainly not least, I made many incredible contacts through my blog and Facebook. For all of the above I am very thankful and filled with gratitude. As I said at the beginning of this post, it certainly was an incredible year for me and I can only say may it continue in 2010.

Recent Work

Some images of work from my latest firing. The first two are variations on a theme using the combination of salts that I am familiar with, and the third is one of the first of my new blue pots.

I A C Membership & A New Article Published

I was honoured last month to have been accepted as a member of the International Academy of Ceramics. The above images from their website.

I have also had a new article on developing translucent bodies published in the latest issue of Ceramics Technical (no 29) This excellent journal, originally from Australia, is now published in the US

It's Coming on Christmas......

A selection of my work that will be available at the Gauteng Craft and Design Centre, Sandton from November 18th at 6:00 pm. The show 'Coming Together at Christmas' is a collaboration between Ceramics Southern Africa and the Gauteng Craft & Design Centre.

Turbulent Indigo

A new colour test. Dark dramatic blues reminiscent of stormy summer skies created from stronger solutions of cobalt chloride with touches of ferric and barium sulphate. 

Something Slightly Different

A new piece, this time I have first banded wax, before decorating with more wax followed by brush strokes made with solutions of Potassium Dichromate and Ferric Chloride

Ceramics S A Regional Exhibition

The C S A regional exhibition opened on Monday evening, at the Edoardo Villa Museum on the University of Pretoria Campus. I was asked to be one of the selectors for the work, together with Jerice Doeg and Harrie Siertesema and Wilma Cruise was the awards judge. The standard, for a regional exhibition was high and a number of awards were presented to amongst others, my colleague Eugene Hon, Hazel Sherman, and Karen Murray. The premier award was presented to Dale Lambert, whose work is pictured above - delicately thrown and 'etched' porcelain pieces.

 Congratulations to everyone who participated in this show, contributing to the overall success of the exhibition.