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Fusion 2010 - Annual NZPotters convention |
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NZSP
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The Team |
Location - Dunedin
Date - April 7-11 2010
Well, they did it, Neil, Marion, Nicole and Josephine. This very small team are to be congratulated for organising the latest NZPotters convention with a hand from the Otago Potters.
Every convention has its own flavour, a something to set it apart from the others be it the legendary cakes at the Roaring 40s, the sense of fun at Crater Clay or the best band at First Light 007. Fusion had hands on.
Fusion made the most of two opportunities one was the sister city relationship with Shanghai to invite a master decorator from Jingdezhen, the other the Polytechnic. Home to the School of Art, the only place in New Zealand offering a full time course in ceramics, as well as organising the distance Diploma in Ceramic Art, this was the perfect place for a change of format from the usual conference, with two days of Master Classes being offered beforehand.
Potters gathered buzzing on the Wednesday morning eager to start their chosen class. And yes, I even detected a few enthusiasts under 40.
Neil Grants class was covering the A-Z of potting, with an emphasis on kiln firing; Vic Greenaway from Australia had his class throwing wonderful pots in Primo porcelain. I chose to do Austrian Kurt Spureys class, simply because I didnt know anything about him. The joy of a master class is to play with the materials provided, which in this case was casting porcelain slip, and see what happens. Kurt showed us how he casts slabs of slip on a plaster bat, cuts or rips them up, joins again, sometimes filling the gaps with coloured slip which gets scraped back when dry. The semi dry slab pieces then get set into a newly poured bit of slip. It looks and sounds easy....but of course, its a matter of having the idea, practise, and get it through the firings. The drying room gradually filled with our mediocre efforts and we were able to get some of our work bisqued.
There was also a seminar for DCA students who were sent in various directions. The classes were relaxed with plenty of time to look in on the other ones. Vics throwing skills between two metal kidneys are amazing, and the alteration of shape with a round ended pencil-like tool swift and confident. The use of a heat gun as well as spraying again with water was an eye opener never thought the porcelain would stand up to that treatment. Primo porcelain clay and slip were used and demonstrators, students and Paul Pepworth alike are keen to find out how this will perform in the firing. Neils class glazed and stacked a salt kiln, but a shelf collapsed, blocking the bung hole, so no salt was thrown in. Ah, all in the line of learning; Neil is a most unflappable person.
Friday morning was time to do our own thing and explore some of Dunedins plentiful sights. Even the weather was turned on beautiful and mild for us. In the afternoon there were talks and events at the museum, which were also open to the public, a great way to involve more people and bring ceramics to public attention. Kurts slide show of artists in Europe who work with clay (not necessarily ceramic artists) and discussion on seeing yourself as an artist rather than a potter was another eye opener, and very different from most attitudes on this side of the world.
The eagerly awaited opening of the 51st National Exhibition took place at the Otago Museum, on the Friday night. About a hundred pots selected by Peter Lange were stunningly displayed on custom-made plinths. Statements and photos of their creators gave a deeper insight and made an interesting read. As always, some top potters/ceramic artists were conspicuous by their absence. What would it take for them to enter the National, I wonder.
The weekend was of course full of demonstrations, slide shows, catching up with friends, eating and drinking. The food throughout the five days was supplied by the hospitality course of the Polytech, and very good.
The other demonstrators now joined Kurt and Vic. With Ji-Ming Lin acting as interpreter, Huang Yunpeng showed slides of early Chinese pieces and the factories in Jingdezhen. His demonstration of painting on prepared forms was extremely skilled, beyond what most of us would aspire to in a lifetime.
Kate Fitzharris made and burnished little moon faces and hands and feet and had bits of singlets, hair, fur etc on display. Small, but intriguing.
Jo Howard continued the theme of porcelain, cast, but using different methods from Kurt. Enjoying the graphic qualities of fabric, she decorated a plaster slab with regular patterns in coloured slips, using little fine tipped squeegee bottles, before pouring slip over the entire slab. When set, she proceeded to cut this up and create bowls over plaster shapes, then adding slab rims. Her work has a crisp freshness to it.
The trade stalls are always popular with the attendees, a break from information overload. A pity there were no potters supplies companies, though Primo Clay and Decopot were represented. Capital Books from Wellington brought down a van full of art books, and Judy, Vics wife, was advertising art tours through Italy including master classes with Vic. (www.discoveringitaly.com) The NZP executive raffled off a mug rack and had designed a very nice May to April calendar featuring New Zealand ceramic artists. An excellent fund raising venture, I bought several to give away.
The gallery space at the Art School had a loose display of former students and tutors work. It was interesting trying to work out who had made what and see how far they had come since.
Saturday night, the dinner dance, at the Poly Restaurant. Again, great food and band. Sunday morning, the AGM, the core of these conventions. It can feel like an interruption to the fun, but this is the time when members can and should ask questions and have their input into the affairs of the Society and this should not be hurried through. Lawrence Ewing was elected life member by acclamation. Well deserved. The website is the NZPs best asset.
We also enjoyed a presentation with slides about the Benhar kilns which got some people fired up about making it into a ceramic museum.
The convention finished with the awarding of the John Calver Trophy, traditionally awarded at Potters Olympics, and last contested in Gisborne. Marion (the convenor) chose to award it to Nicole Kolig, for the biggest hissy fit when the exhibition space lined up became unavailable and it was suggested to have it on scaffolding in the mall! Thanks to Nicole, the 51st National is held in a fitting place, the Otago Museum.
And so concluded another great convention. If there were any hitches and panics behind the scenes (as Im sure there were!) we didnt see them. Everything went smoothly. Thank you, Marion, Neil, Nicole and Josephine, you did a wonderful job with smiles on your faces. So much from so few!
Next year Auckland.
Aimee McLeod
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“The 51st National Exhibition”
829 1
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“The 51st National Exhibition”
830 2
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“Bowls by Vic Greenaway”
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“Huang Yunpeng”
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“Huang Yunpeng and Yi-Ming Lin”
833 5
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“Jo Howard”
834 6
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“Kurt Spurey”
835 7
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“The Team”
836 8
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