Goulburn commission: a gift to celebrate Canberra's Centenary

Last week I had the amazing opportunity to meet Katy Gallagher, the ACT Chief Minister, when presenting a gift from the Mayor of Goulburn to celebrate Canberra's Centenary.

From left to right: The Very Rev'd Phillip Saunders Dean of St Xaviour's Cathedral,
me (Kate Ward, Artist), Katy Gallagher ACT Chief Minister,
Geoff Kettle Mayor Goulburn Mulwaree, and Rt. Rev’d Stuart Robinson.

I met Geoff Kettle, Mayor, Goulburn Mulwaree Council last year following the exciting announcement that my work had been selected to celebrate Canberra's centenary when I designed three screen printed tea towels which are currently available for sale around Canberra or online. (for more info visit this previous blog entry)

Detail of the small vessels
Image by Art Atelier Photography

 Geoff Kettle and I discussed the various possibilities to create a gift for Canberra from the people of Goulburn and we decided upon a ceramic vessel that would have an image of St Saviour's, as this was the Cathedral that made Goulburn the first inland city. St Saviours also turns 150 this year, so it has been a year of celebrations within the Canberra region.

St Saviour's Cathedral. Large vessel and four small.
Image by Art Atelier Photography

When we met and I had a small 'marquette' of how the larger vessel would look, it was decided that each of the Officials involved would also have a smaller version to commemorate the occasion, and so four smaller vessels were also made. The large vessel measures about 30cm high and 11cm in diameter. The small vessels are 10cm high and 8cm in diameter.

St Saviour's Cathedral
Image by Art Atelier Photography

 

Image by Art Atelier Photography

 

Detail of the small vessels
Image by Art Atelier Photography

There are a whole lot of exciting things happening over the next few months, stay tuned and all will be revealed!

Until then, I hope you stay warm and enjoy the colder winter months. Here's a great recipe from Jamie O for mulled wine - which Im sure will help keep away those winter blues.

Kate x

Clay Push at Gulgong 2013

For the uninitiated, like myself, I had no idea what to expect when I signed up to attend Clay Push in Gulgong. All I knew is that there were some fabulous international ceramic artists demonstrating their techniques for an entire week. I saw this as a good substitute for my TAFE course which was cancelled this year due to government withdrawal of funding and the dramatic increase in fees.

Two weeks before the event a colleague  mentioned that Gulgong was on the old $10 note and that it was full of historic old buildings and my interest was piqued.

Old mining shaft in Gulgong

looking towards the Ten Dollar Hotel

 A week before the event I just happened to be in an old second hand book store and I stumbled across an old Gold Mining in Pioneering Australia - it was a serendipitous moment as I looked through the black and white images of gold mining in Gulgong!

love the old cobblestone gutters

And when I arrived I couldnt believe how perfectly preserved the town was. Scarecly a new ugly building in sight. I was in heaven.

Main Street in Gulgong. Photograper: Trevor Netting

This building had many uses over the years:
Toys; Fancy Goods; Photography Studio

View down the main street at sunset

The small square building on the right featured on the $10 note

And the following week was just amazing. Each day Master Ceramic Artists demonstrated their techniques and on the first day I flitted from one room to another (there was about 10 demonstrations going on at any one time) trying to squeeze it all in.

Marianne Hallbergs, demonstrating (above) and blue on white work in the Master's exhibition

Along with the demonstrations there were daily presentations by each of the Masters at the Gulgong Opera House, and daily exhibition openings (breakfast openings with orange juice and champagne; and evening openings with local wines, yum)

Lee, Kang Hyo (South Korea)

decorating the pot to ceremonial music

I found out the reason why such a fabulous event is held in a tiny town is due to Janet Mansfield, a ceramicist and massive supporter of Australian ceramics on an international level through her Ceramics, Art and Perception magazine, who has a farm in the region. Sadly Janet passed away this year, but her legend lives on and it was great to hear so many people reminiscing on her generosity and passion for ceramics.

Jeff Mincham  AM (Australia) demonstrating hand building

Greg Daly (Australia) demonstrating on the wheel

Kirsten Coelho (Australia), demonstrating her delicate porcelain techniques

By the end of the week I had met lots of interesting people, seen informative and mind boggling demonstrations and heard fascinating tales (from Masters and participants alike) and I couldnt wait to get into the studio to try out all the new tricks and techniques I had learnt.

Ane-Katrine von Bulow (Denmark) demonstrating screenprinting techniques

Diana Fayt (USA) demonstrating scrimshaw techniques

For a comprehensive overview visit the official ClayPush site or  here for more images of the event .

looking for Miles

I am working towards an exhibition at The Front in Lyneham at the end of May. For some weeks now I have been working through ideas for the theme and content of the show - and up until recently nothing really seemed quite right.

Then I remembered by original idea for the space and it clicked. I would do something about Miles Franklin.

Some of you may remember my post from earlier this year which touched upon the subject and I started to explore some of the pioneering cottages around Canberra that would have existed during her time.

I discovered that Goulburn has a Miles Franklin self guided walking tour. You can download the brochure and take an independent tour of the city observing many of the buildings that she wrote about in her novels. Thankfully many of these buildings still stand today although their original use may have changed. My particular favourite is the Old Police Station that has been converted into a fabulous second hand book store. I found a great book too - but that is a story for another time.

Argyle Emporium for second hand books.
It used to be the Police Station.

I also stumbled across an old gas street lamp with a great sign. 

Gas lamp post
Auburn St 1879
last in existence

After the walk ( it was a beautiful autumn day) I decided to try and find the place where Miles lived in Thornford where she wrote My Brilliant Career. Talking to the ladies in the local history musuem they pointed me in the direction of Thornford, just out of Goulburn. I could get there via the highway or take the back road, so I decided upon the road less travelled to see what adventures I might have.

I discovered the most amazing old pise cottage and my imagination ran away with possible stories about the inhabitants of this place. 

details of the pise wall construction

This cottage didnt seem to match the location of where I thought Miles Franklin's house would be so I continued my search.

Further along the road I saw some chimneys sticking out of the over growth. I couldnt resist the temptation to explore further.

Excitedly I explored the ruins admiring the old mud brick chimneys and slab hut construction.

I remembered reading in Miles Franklin's diaries about her old house in Thornford. She wrote that the old house had gone and nothing remained but the mulberry tree and bed plate, but that the dairy was still standing. Perhaps I had discovered her house after all!

When I got home I re-read her diary entries, and the diary was pise. So disapointing! This place wasnt Miles Franklins home after all. Its funny to think that such a well known Australian author can be so obscure at the same time. 

The search continues.....

Off the Square Exhibition at Belconnen Arts Centre

Im very excited to share with you my new ceramic pieces that have been created for an upcoming exhibition Off the Square at the Belconnen Arts Centre.  The exhibition consists of a selection of Craft ACT: Craft + Design members to display their art practice during Canberra's art month in May.

Mother was an excellent cook. Photography: Art Atelier

My artwork for Off the Square is inspired by the traces of the earliest settlers tell us about the everyday lives of these people. The objects they discard and leave behind can be used to understand their everyday life, including those lives who have left very little historical evidence even in the most recent periods of

our past. The discarded medicine bottles, china, machine parts and old cooking-ware hint at the tales these relics tell and the people who used them. 

Observing the tension between objects which are infused with meaning and objects which are taken for granted, I am particularly interested in kitchen paraphernalia and domestic objects that have evolved as technology has developed. Many of these objects are associated with women's work, whose lives are often overlooked and not recorded in history. Objects of domesticity and the scenes they create have so many fleeting and transient memories associated with them.

Poverty can make pioneering a challenging battle, and it was often heavier on women than on men, who were expected to 'keep house' in the most challenging conditions with none of the conveniences of running water or electricity we are accustomed to today. 

The writings and diaries of early Australians such as Miles Franklin who wrote about life in the bush in the Brindabella Mountains and outskirts of Goulburn has inspired my work as have the memoirs of Sylvia Curley who's family resided in Mugga Mugga cottage before Canberra was established. Mugga Mugga cottage remains a tribute to our history, having been preserved against the advances of technology and encroaching urban sprawl with the foresight of Sylvia Curley.

Interior scenes of Mugga Mugga cottage have been carefully hand drawn and painted onto the porcelain ceramic surface of billy cans. The scenes explore nostalgia and memory of previous eras whilst the ceramic shapes reference methods of cooking used by pioneering Australian's. The blue on white ceramic is reminiscent of ceramic houseware made in Delft in the Netherlands in the 16th century and more recently the English Willow pattern popular in 18th century english kitchen and homewares.

Her duties were to learn the art of housekeeping.
Photography: Art Atelier

Off the Square opens at 5.30pm Friday 10 May at the Belconnen Arts Centre and will show until Sunday 26 May. 

Mystery bug: craft and food remedies

I generally move about at 100 miles an hour moving from project to project, place to place.

You can imagine how unusual it was for me to sit still when I recently came down with a mystery bug that totally knocked my socks off!

All I could do was sit around and read all day. I devoured Rose Water and Soda Bread by Marsha Mehran in one sitting. It is a delightful read and is the sequel to Pomegranate Soup. Both are tales about 3 Iranian sisters who move to Ireland,  revolving around a story about cooking and healing with food, it also includes the recipes that are integral in the story.

Colcannon = yum!

Inspired by unusual and untried recipes I tried out an irish dish called Colcannon - which is a dish of delicious flavours inspired by mashed potatoes. Its definitely going to be on the menu this winter as it is easy to make. Another iranian dish, Gormeh Sabzi, a lamb and spinach stew also captured my imagination and sounded like a good recipe for the slow cooker (and it was). And finally over Easter I substituted hot cross buns for soda bread with currants (or sultanas). I used a recipe similar to this but without the egg.

Gormeh Sabzi is a great way to enjoy winter greens

With so much sitting still I also turned my hand to a spot of knitting. I recently was given a stash of odd balls of wool, and so I was looking for a project to use them up. I had already made a rug, and wanted to make something for others so I embarked on a pair of wrist warmers. 

easy to knit wrist warmers

Being a small project they were easy to knit up and quick to make - and especially fun to make using bright and unusual colour combinations.

I am enjoying making them, and it is especially nice to share the love and give them to others as gifts.

x

Anish Kapoor at the MCA

If you get a chance, go and experience the Anish Kapoor exhibition at the MCA in Sydney. It has been described as 'a ground-breaking exhibition that challenges, intrigues and excites’ by art almanac.

It is one of those exhibitions where the images simply dont do the work justice. 

Large scale works play with light and illusion.

And because touching is forbidden many of the sculptures are puzzling and intriguing - they play tricks with the mind.

I just love the large corton steel sculpture called Memory, above. You can view it from the outside, and in another room you can look into it - from what first appears to be a large black square painted onto the wall - it is actually a void into the Memory sculpture. Amazing!

Many of the works are reflective and encourage the viewer to interact with them.

The exhibition is on until 1 April 2013.