It is exactly 1 month before I go on my trip to Indonesia. This trip is all the result of this artwork. I created the Mbok Jamu series as an expression of my identity as an Indonesian living in Australia. It was also around the time that I was deciding whether or not to give up my Indonesian citizenship for an Australian one.
Well, I am now still an Indonesian citizen and I'm quite content about it. I've realised that if I ever have to change it in the future, it's not because I am turning back on my country of birth. It is more for the practicality and convenience since I have been living in Australia for more than ten years. So this time next month, I will be in Indonesia meeting the great ceramic artist, F. Widayanto and hopefully being able to observe and learn from his practice. Internet connection permitting, I will also be regularly updating this blog with my adventures. Stay tuned...
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I love buying ceramics. If I could afford it, I would buy one piece from every exhibition I go to! A while ago in April, I went to a group show at the Kerrie Lowe Gallery in Newtown. Two of my friends, Min Shin Song and Ion Fukazawa (from Prickly and Cream) were in the show. It was a fantastic show! There were so many people at the opening, the crowd spilled over to the pavements outside. I was introduced to Milly Dent (from Milly Dent Design), who've been producing wonderful marbled porcelain tableware. Got talking to a few other people just about random art topics. It's times like that I miss COFA... nowadays I rarely get the chance to converse about ceramics or art in general. Ion showcased his work from the Ceramic Riders machine, where he rides a bike that spins a table that spins ceramic slip to make vessels. Watch the cool video here: http://vimeo.com/71867178 And Min Shin did these fantastic industrial looking tea pots. You wouldn't think it's a tea pot! I was so impressed I had to have it! Isn't it just so cool?
Sometimes I just want to experiment and make things which are not necessarily for a show. So I dabbled in underglazes even though I know I suck at painting. It's funny how even though I was experimenting, I did end up making a shape that I've done before. It's like my hands have a mind of their own. And what looks good before firing can end up looking totally unexpected. Or can even be considered a failure.
PS: The mushrooms in the first picture are made by the fantastic Elizabeth Lawrence. A while back, I travelled down south of Sydney with some friends. On the way back from the Mogo Zoo, we stumbled upon an art gallery run by Peter Williams and his wife. The art gallery is actually located within a converted Catholic Church, and since it's on the main road, it was hard to miss! As soon as I walked in, I was presented with the a scenery typical of a working pottery studio. Thank you to Peter and his wife who was kind enough to let me take photos of his beautiful works (and to agree to be in one of the photos!). Peter also paints vibrant, colourful landscapes. You can find out more about his works at www.peterwilliamsart.com.
Being a married 30-something woman, with a perfectly normal full time job and all of the normal obligations/responsibilities of a wife, daughter, sister and friend, I honestly find it hard to reach out to my artistic self.
I don't mean that to be creative I have to be depressed or anything. But for me, being artistic means I have to tell everyone and everything else in my life to f-off for awhile, while I fully immerse myself in the buoyancy of creativity. Perhaps that is why the 4th room in the house has lain in neglect. Setting it up as my studio has been a start and stop project for the past year. Just like my aversion to watching tv series that require full attention span to connect the storyline, I am reluctant to fully commit to the home studio concept. I am having too much fun (almost) not working on weeknights and weekends, getting enough sleep, not drinking too much coffee, and not constantly day dreaming and planning ceramics. Fortunately, I am a very determined, committed person. Receiving the ArtStart grant is a stiff kick up the bum to start doing things again. I swear. |
Irine is a recipient of the Australia Council for the Arts' Artstart Grant (June 2014-2015).
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