Goodbye Canberra and thanks

Thank you to all of the staff at Craft ACT for their assistance with the install and destall of White Heat. It was a really smooth bump out!

We have had some fantastically positive feedback from our Canberra leg of the tour. Over 500 vistitors came to see both Antonia Aitken & White Heat exhibitions. Some comments from the visitors book below:

“Great exhibit Zara - congratulations!”
“Adored the ‘moonrock’, delicious texture!”
“Really enjoyed both exhibitions, particularly the ceramic jewellery. Such breadth of
lightness/solidity.”

Canberra turned on some amazing weather and I took the chance to visit some fine institutions and small galleries in our capital: National Archives, National Gallery, War Memorial, Portrait Gallery, Beaver Galleries and Gallery Bilk.

Here are few shots of the exhibition by photographer Andrew Sikorski.

 Exhibition shot

Exhibition shot Prue Venables work in foreground

Exhibition shot Graeme Bannerman's work in foreground

Graeme Bannerman Untitled detail

Graeme Bannerman Moon Rock detail

Katherine Wheeler Creep Ring

Katherine Wheeler Skeleton structure ring

Next stop Adelaide's cultural gem the Jamfactory!

Gallery Feature: Beaver Galleries

Established in 1975 Beaver is the largest privately-owned gallery in Canberra. Beaver Galleries beautiful sculpture garden, light-filled interiors and four spacious galleries provide a unique setting for exhibitions of contemporary art & design.

Beaver represent over 90 artists who work in a wide variety of mediums including painting, glass and ceramics to name a few. Director’s Martin & Susie Beaver continue to nurture their growing staple of artists. Established practitioners such as Victor Greenaway, Prue Venables, Ben Edols and Cathy Elliot have continued their creative relationship with the gallery for many years.

I first met Martin & Susie Beaver from Beaver Galleries in 2002 in Chicago USA during the SOFA Exposition (sculpture objects and functional art). I was exhibiting a small collection of contemporary glass pieces with the Glass Artists’ Gallery & representing Object Magazine – there was quite a contingent of Australian creatives in Chicago at the time! I was struck by Martin & Susie’s commitment to exposing Australian artists both emerging and established to overseas markets, gaining recognition for Australian talent and to building further opportunities for artistic career development.

Beaver continue to expose Australia’s finest creative talents to interstate and international forums – I wish them well at the forthcoming Melbourne Art Fair in August and at SOFA Chicago in October/November. All the best!

http://www.beavergalleries.com.au/

Beaver Galleries - current exhibitions:

Daehoon Kang and Joungmee Do - jewellery & objects  

Robert Boynes  - paintings        

David Frazer  - prints      

Daehoon Kang & Joungmee Do

White Heat artists Prue Venables and Zara Collins are represented by Beaver Galleries.
Posted by Zara Collins

In her own words....Prue Venables

A search for simplicity and quietness, an essential stillness, motivates my work. The making of functional pots, the exploration of objects to be held and used, alongside a search for new and innovative forms, provides a lifetime of challenge and excitement.

A beautiful cup seems simple and yet is capable of gently holding and reflecting so much ceremony and personal connection. The finished object stands innocently – as if oblivious to the complexities of its history, of making and firing processes. The translucency of porcelain, the light dancing on the sprung tension of a rim, the softly melting body inviting touch, even the frustration of failure – all this and more continues to invite me.

I enjoy the contradictory nature of these pieces - where the sprung tension of the throwing remains clear, but the origins of forms are uncertain. I have a particular interest in the making of functional objects. The work contains references to 18th and 19th century English industrial pottery as well as to more contemporary and familiar metal and plastic vessels.

Prue Venables Tea Strainer, porcelain, silver

All photo credits Terrence Bogue.

March Artist of the Month: Prue Venables

Prue Venables solo show opens at Beaver Galleries this month:

Good luck with the show Prue!