PJ Pottery news
My beautiful boilermaker and I had a glorious week up in Far North Queensland, it’s our second visit there during winter. The landscape and greenery are large and lush and the beaches soothe the soul with every step you walk. Together, we built a large mandala sand sculpture on Mission Beach which brought joy to a few curious onlookers before the tide washed it away that evening. We have come back rejuvenated and ready to get back into work, for me that means Spring Fever potters’ market and competition time!
Competition time
Being a professional potter means you are always looking at ways to design and create new work to satisfy your customers and part of this process involves entering competitions that provide a challenge to create work to the best of your ability. You often need to fulfil a brief, sometimes to a theme (like the Sydney Teapot Show) and to hopefully – if you are successful and your work is chosen – you can expand your audience of ceramics collectors and pottery lovers.
I am pleased to say my Steampunk teapot, Beatrix has been selected as a finalist in the Klytie Pate Ceramic Award. The Klytie Pate Award for Ceramics is a National prize, open to all ceramicists in Australia and New Zealand who are experienced in the craft, and carries a biennial prize of $10,000. The opening night is Thursday 14th September at 6pm, MACE 145 High Street Mansfield, Vic.
Ceramic Arts Queensland hosts the Siliceous Award every second year and I am hoping to have an entry in this.
I was fortunate to win an award in last year’s Sydney Teapot show (you can read more about this HERE) and have a work in progress for this year’s show, here’s a sneak peak at this new Steampunk teapot, I have estimated I’ve spent 7-8 hours on this piece so far, now I’m crossing my fingers it survives the two firings and glazing process!
Spring Fever Potters’ Market
PJ Pottery will have a stall at the Spring Fever Potters’ Market Saturday 2 September, 8am – 12pm at Maleny Showgrounds. Hosted by Suncoast Clayworkers with over 30 stalls and free admission! If you are around the Sunshine Coast, come say hi and fill your bags with wonderful handmade ceramics.
Thanks for reading and your continued support, if you ever have any questions about pottery or would like to see any my process, let me know. Cheers, Nicci
