Blue and White Ceramics in their new homes

Ive just received some more images of my porcelain wares in their new homes.

Below are images from Vicki who just happens to be the editor for a prominent Australian magazine dedicated to ceramics. 

Image by Vicki

My 'CrabApple Tree in Blossom' vessel is on display in her office (middle vessel). Behind it sits the accompanying card made from an off-cut of lino print from my time in Hill End.

Image by Vicki

How very exciting that my ceramics have ended up in such a wonderful place!

More blue and white ceramics for Pozible

December has been spent making, delivering and sending out pozible gifts (lino prints, tea towels and ceramics) for my supporters. 

Left over bits of my lino prints for the gift tags.  

Notice my handy assistant, Kochira the cat, keeping an ever watchful eye on me (and the fish) in the background! 

I wanted to get the ceramic gifts out before Christmas, and consequently forgot to take nice pictures of them. I only have one of them lined up in my studio.

Thankfully I have received pictures from some of the recipients - and its lovely to see the ceramic vessels in their new homes.

Image: Bel and Shane

Image: Josie

Image: Liz 

Image: Murray

Im still collecting images of the gifts in their new homes. If you were one of my supporters Id love to see how your gift looks in its new home.

Blue and White Porcelain Ceramics

Some of you will know that I have been inspired by the writings of Australian author Miles Franklin who is well known for her novel My Brilliant Career, which for the most part is set in Goulburn, NSW. 

Crabapple Tree in Blossom

In April 2013 I partook in the self guided tour of Goulburn and observed many of the buildings she wrote about in her novels. 

Domestic Interior with Antiques

Indeed, it was her descriptions of pioneering Australia that set me on the path to further research Australia's history that led me to the Artist in Residence at the historic gold mining town of Hill End, and then internationally to explore pioneering history in Halifax, Nova Scotia Canada. 

"The two towers of the office rose like sentry boxes which in the long main street that ran empty in the moonlight to the south"  

Further images from my Hill End residency:

In the studio

Life in a slab hut

Textures

Fences and gates

Goulburn Post Office

So inspired I sketched imagery of Goulburn's historic buildings incorporating text from 'My Brilliant Career' that was published in 1901. 

"I bought a ticket at the Goulburn railway station"

 These sketches have recently been applied to porcelain ceramics using scraffito and mishima techniques.

Goulburn Railway Station

Earlier in the year I ran a crowd funding campaign to assist with my travel to Halifax, Nova Scotia to participate in the Nova Scotia Centre for Craft and Design's Summer residency.

"I borrowed every book in the neighbourhood and stole hours from rest to read them"

 One of the rewards for my crowd funding supporters was a porcelain ceramic vessel an image relating to my residencies. 

The Music House 

"I love the organ music and the hush that pervades the building" 

So some very lucky people received these 'one of a kind' porcelain vessels.

St Saviours Cathedral

 The shapes are inspired by pioneering bushmen's mugs, which were fashioned from recycled tin (which would've originally contained food) with a wire handle added.

"I left the train and went to the Commercial for the remainder of the night"

The Commercial Pub, Goulburn.

Printing fun at Megalo pt 2

As promised here are some more pictures from the 6 week block of Introduction to Screenprinting on Fabric I taught at Magalo.

Thank you to Claire, Barbara and Ngaire who have shared their images with me, so that I can share them with you! 

Screenprints and images by Claire

Claire created some lovely patterns through repeating a single image printed in different colours and explored printing onto pre-cut fabric pieces with the intention of sewing them into garments. I look forward to seeing the final product!

Screenprints and images by Ngaire 

Screenprints and images by Ngaire

 Ngaire combined beautiful hand drawn images with text which resulted in lovely compositions.

Screenprints and images by Barbara

Screenprints and images by Barbara

Barbara experimented with combining imagery created using the photo-emulsion technique combined with paper cut stencils. She printed lengths of fabric by randomly printing the image onto cloth. I love her use of fabric as a shade cloth over the deck area which is perfect for afternoon drinks, morning teas and hanging out in the hammock. After Christmas the shade cloth will be taken down and used to make PJs.

Such a wonderful and creative bunch of people. I am always so impressed by their creativity. They were so inspired that they are going on to form their own print club to continue printing at Megalo next year!

Printing fun at Megalo

I have just finished teaching a 6 week block of Introduction to Screenprinting on Fabric at Magalo's new facilities in Kingston. The new space is amazing and such a pleasure to be in.

And of course, I had a ball sharing my knowledge and passion with 8 keen soon-to-be-addicted-to-screenprinting participants.

Screenprints and images by Kahlea 

I always love how diverse everyone's designs and images are, and printing onto textiles lends itself so nicely to repeat motif printing.

Screen prints and images by Muzi

There was lots of experimental works being created, including Paal's printing onto old tea towels and doilies and achieving great effects, Muzi's striking colour combinations in geometric prints and Kahlea's fabulous patterns.

Screenprints and images by Paal

I got so carried away teaching that I often forgot to capture the creativity. A big thank you to Paal, Muzi, Kahlea and Mandy for sharing your images with us.

Screen prints and image by Mandy 

Mandy's image above is a great example of the different sorts of effects paper stencils (using both the positive and negative cut outs), and combining it with a line drawing that was translated using photo emulsion techniques.

Sam, Barbara, Ngaire and Claire also created some beautiful artworks which I hope to share with you soon.

Maud's House Tea Towel

Earlier in the year I ran a crowd funding campaign to assist with my travel to Halifax, Nova Scotia to participate in the Nova Scotia Centre for Craft and Design's Summer residency.

One of the rewards for my crowd funding supporters was a tea towel hand printed by me with an image of Canadian artist Maud Lewis's tiny little cottage. 

The building is so tiny and amazingly decorated all over with her folk art that her entire house is now in the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia in Halifax! Her cottage was so basic that it did not have electricity or running water and consisted of one room and an attic. As such she fitted in with my concept of pioneering women and images of her house appeared in the artwork produced for the exhibition in Halifax.

Printing up a storm at Megalo Print Studio and Gallery 

You may have seen some images of her cottage on my blog if you had time to follow my adventures - here's a link if you would like to know more about her.

Printed on 100% linen tea towels measuring 50 x 70 cm using water based permanent ink, I got carried away and printed a few extra tea towels with the Maud Lewis design. If you would like one for your collection, or a Christmas gift, you can find them in my online store.

Lino Cuts inspired by Haefliger Cottage

The lino cuts (below) that were exhibited in the Landscapes, Ladies and Literature exhibition at the Barometer Gallery in Sydney were inspired by my stay in the Haefliger Cottage as part of my residency in Hill End.

Obedience! Yes that is a virtue in women...

The difficulty of finding tolerable servants... 

Recollections of bush life in Australia... 

Her domestic duties are so engrossing...

The management of household affairs... 

The titles of the works were inspired by a letter I found written by an English lady who had emigrated to Australia in the early 1800s. She was writing home describing the domestic duties in the Australian bush, and detailing how they contrasted with her old life in England.

All prints are signed and printed in a limited edition of 5. If you would like to add one to your collection visit my online store.

The Exhibition: Landscapes Ladies & Literature

Here are some images from my solo exhibition Landscapes Ladies & Literature at the Barometer Gallery in Paddington, Sydney.

It was a fabulous gallery space, with lots of natural light through two huge windows that faced onto the streets and high ceilings. The gallery was on the corner of two streets and had great street presence. 

Many people dropped in after driving past and seeing the artwork on the walls!

'Adrift in a Foreign Land' - created in Halifax, Nova Scotia

The exhibition displayed the work created on the two residencies I undertook this year: the old gold mining town of Hill End in June, and Halifax Nova Scotia in July and August 2013. All the work created was inspired by pioneering ladies in both countries.

Images inspired by Hill End onto cast porcelain bottles

If you would like to see some more images of the works created in both residencies visit my website, www.kateward.com.au 

Barometer Gallery was just around the corner from Five Ways, a well known area where five roads meet. This place has such a lovely village vibe, and reminded me a little of London. 

Great food, pubs and restaurants lined the streets. And the Jacaranda trees were in bloom. Quite delightful, creating lilac vistas and carpeting streets with purple blossoms!

And I was most taken by the Thomas Dux Grocer, a store that had a delightful assortment of delectable gourmet delights, and turns out to be an upmarket Woolworths supermarket (and much more enjoyable to shop in!)

I shopped daily at Sonoma bakery, which had a delicious assortment of sourdough breads. 

And I found the most wonderful cafe ever called Tiger Mottle. It made the best coffee and had such a great vibe.... if you are in the area I recommend checking all these places out.

Its such fun!