Inspirations

I’ve been out bush seeking inspiration and collecting more samples.

Disused nickel mine slag heap

We went to Kalgoorlie and to see the Anthony Gormley sculptures at Lake Ballard.

Iconic outback road

Words fail me (almost!) It was remote, dusty, lots of flies, storms (both conventional and sand). The landscape was vast and the human presence insignificant. I find myself wanting to capture the feeling I had standing in the middle of Lake Ballard in my work.

Spot the figures if you can

How to capture that essence of stillness, of calm, blinding light and hostile environments?  To me it said something very profound about the futility of human existance. To see those figures stretching out into infinity was very moving and very thought provoking.  We spent some time on a disused station, a hundred kilometres from the nearest other human being and it was sublime.  The silence was heavy.  To be able to get so far removed from society is a rare opportunity.  I find myself wanting to explore that sense of stillness in my work.  Some of the landscapes around Kalgoorlie are so beautiful yet so unforgiving.  We visited salt lakes where the vista would take your breath away yet the heat and the flies are maddening.

Lake Deborah

You could so easily die out there.  I am full of admiration for the traditional owners and their ability to survive in that country and for the sheer stubborness and resiliance of the early European settlers.  I am trying to find the courage within to experiment more with putting my mark onto my work.  I find it so hard to break away from letting the clay, the materials and the action of making create the work.  I prefer to let the process guide me rather than trying to impose on the materials.  I want textures. I want to see jagged ripped sheared edges – Can you tear porcelain?

How can I capture this lightness – the dancing of the sparks?

Perhaps the way forward is to work more with the interaction of clay/embedded materials and glaze?  Or to explore the unpredictable results of my attempts at reduction firing?  Perhaps I just need to tear things up?  Who knows.  Interesting times – watch this space…