Ceramics in Victoria....swooooooon :)

It was a long weekend here in Australia 

so a few of the Mud Colony gals 

decided to make the most of it

 and meet in Victoria for a pottery immersed 

few days, Adriana at the helm.

                                                We started our weekend in Melbourne.

                                               First stop was Northcote Pottery Supplies 
                                                where Adriana Christianson had work
                                                 and I bought this gorgeous beaker.

                                                    Craft Victoria Gallery 
                                                    and these cute plant pots (above and below)
                                                    by Kim Jaeger were in the display window.

                                                  
                                                   Adriana also had work there
                                                  ( but I had to restrain myself it was going
                                                   to be a BIG weekend!)

 

                                          We dropped into another little gallery close by to Craft Vic
                                           called FortyFiveDownstairs and these vibrant platters
                                           (above and below) made by Gordon Hickmott and
                                           decorated a group of artists called ROAR which included
                                           Annie Howie, Pasquale Giardino, Tony Mighell,
                                           Danial Lalor Kogan, Richard Birmingham, Bruce Earles,
                                           Stephen McCarthy, Trevor Hoppen, Peter Ferguson, Andrew
                                           Ferguson, Mike Nicholls, Judi Singleton and Wayne Eager.

                                         I am not sure which platter belongs with which artist
                                         but they were fun and visiting them was a great
                                         way to start our weekend.

 

                                           After stocking up on some nice food stuffs at the
                                                                Queen Victoria Markets 
                                      we headed out of Melbourne towards South Gippsland.

 

The next day we went to visit Robb Barron's Studio 

Gooseneck Pottery

 

                                         Rob works out of a 4 chamber Korean style kiln.
                                         His work and environment along with his attitude
                                        are very inspiring.

  

 You can see (above), although only two chambers  

       are shown behind Marian, each chamber is big enough 

to stand in comfortably, it is a big his kiln!

He dose fire in just one chamber at times though.

 

                                               His wood stack is as impressive as his pots

                                            
                                              and his throwing demo was a joy to behold.
                                              He started by centering with a club of wood.

                                           
                                              and using his motor assisted kick wheel
                                              he threw a nice big pitcher.
 

 

                                                 On to Loch where there were some
                                                gorgeous old wares/second hand shops
                                               and the girls enjoyed Devonshire Tea.

                                     

                                             Truly Southurst- arrived on Saturday night
                                          after doing a market and I bought this lovely
                                          citrus juicer from her.

                                              Sunday we headed off to see the work of
                                              Zak Chalmers at his Valley Plains Pottery.
                                              Zak worked and gained experience with
                                              Robb Barron for some years before building
                                              his own kilns.
                                    

                                           
                                              It was wonderful to see Zak
                                              incorporate his family, work and environment
                                              together as a total art form.
                                          

                                                  
                                             I enjoyed watching him work with his wife
                                             and children as much as I loved soaking up the
                                             beauty of his work and exhibition space.

                                                    

 

                                                     What little boy wouldn't want
                                                     to do some earth moving with wet clay
                                                     and his matchbox truck?

                                             How lucky this little guy is to have a tunnel
                                            in a well shaped pot to drive his truck through :)

 

                                                         OH what a place....swooooon!

                                                 
                                                   Zak uses a small Anagama
                                                  for the more sculptural and ashy pieces.
                                                  

 

He also uses this little kiln (above)

                                                      designed by Jack Troy 
                                                       
                                        I think I may well have to build myself one of these!

 

                                                   On return to the house we were staying at
                                          we created a mini exhibition so we could all enjoy
                                          what each other had bought before we packed them
                                           into our suit cases.

 

                                         So funny, we are all Mud Colony bloggers so there
                                         was a certain amount of posting and internet advice/
                                         discussion/sharing in amongst all the ceramic talk.

 

 Last night, dinner out, we were a bunch of happy 

munchkins after a great weekend of inspiration.

                                                          

                                                                        Sunset at Inverloch
                                                               and the dawn of some new work
                                                                   on our return to our studios.