Sneak peak at part of my entry for the Small Wonders exhibition
@ The Plant Empire, Brisbane
Exhibitions + Arts Trail
As you can see, it’s been action stations here at PJ Pottery with involvement with exhibitions in Brisbane, Sydney and the Arts Trail here on Tamborine Mountain STARTING THIS WEEKEND Sat/Sun 4/5 and 11/12 May 10am to 3pm
A HAPPY REMINDER To thank my treasured returning customers and supportive locals, there is a 20% discount on all purchases over $50 at my gallery during the Arts Trail . Choose from mugs, keep cups, dinner sets, cute little serving sets (perfect as a Mother’s Day gift) and a dizzying choice of teapots and Steampunk wonders. So, remember to let us know if you are a local or returning customer so we can share the love! If you are after something really special for your home, there are also beautiful handmade ceramic table lamps with linen shades included.
If you can’t make it to visit during the Arts Trail, you are welcome to book a private visit, fill in the form below and we’ll be in touch soon.Or you can find more of our ceramics at Butler and Grace and Elderflower Farm
Thanks for reading our bumper PJ Pottery May news!
I participated in several group exhibitions, gave a few workshops to lovely enthusiastic people and of course, had a wonderful time at this year’s Pottery Road Open Studios as part of the Australian Ceramics Open Studios
I am always trying to challenge myself with more complex forms for my Steampunk teapots, so I was thrilled to win the People’s Choice Award at the 2023 Sydney Teapot Show.
Classes + Workshops
I am extremely fortunate to have a great bunch of students in all of my classes, most are returning next year so term 1 is full. Email me if you wish to go on the waiting list for term 2. If you can’t wait, or can’t commit to a full 10 week course, I am offering a one-day hand building workshop on 14 January, all the details are HERE
My students and I had a delightful end of year party with loads of food, laughs and – just to make sure they were paying attention throughout the year – there was a pottery quiz. I’m happy to report, they got all the answers right! And all of this is reason to do – a December happy dance!
Shopping reward 20% off
As a heartfelt thank you to all who gave support to my small business throughout the year, I am offering a discount of 20% off across the whole shop. Use the code XMASLOVE at the checkout
I really hope you all get the chance to do something you love over the festive season, hang out with people who make you feel good and bring in the new year with loads of positivity.
It’s been an exciting few months here at PJ Pottery. First, I was invited to participate in two group exhibitions – Gift Wrapped and the opening of the Knoll Studio. I’ve done a load of work in my sweet little gallery and studio for the Pottery Road Open Studio Trail this weekend. And I was thrilled to receive the People’s Choice Award in this year’s Sydney Teapot Show. Here’s the news for November – full of exhibitions and open studio trail
27 OCT – 16 DEC 2023 The Centre, 82 Brisbane St Beaudesert. Tues-Fri 10am-4pm; Sat 10am-2pm
Celebrating 2023 witha delightful exhibition of exquisite artworks by South East Queensland artisans … ready for Christmas gift giving.
This exhibition showcases beautiful paintings, works on paper, sculptures, pottery, jewellery, textiles, fibre works, books and much more. Come and explore a kaleidoscope of handmade art and bring the beauty of local artworks into your home this Christmas or give them to your friends.
We will have an official ribbon cutting at 11:30am as we open our orange doors for the first time! Gracing our studio walls and space, will be an exhibition of art from local artists displaying the artistic talent and versatile creativity we have here.
The iconic Sydney Teapot Show is an annual exhibition at Gallery Lowe and Lee. In 2022, I was fortunate to win the Glebe Book Award and this year Tristan B. Torus Steampunk teapot won the People’s Choice Award with a $500 prize sponsored by @galleryloweandlee This is one of the nicest accolades received in my long career as a potter!
I was very fortunate to attend the 3 day Spring Fever ceramic gathering in Maleny, Sunshine Coast recently and came home with my head brimming with Spring Fever inspiration. The demonstrators were knowledgeable, generous and innovative. A big thanks to Suncoast Clayworkers for hosting this amazing event. Be prepared to see some fresh new works coming from the PJ Pottery studio soon!
On the Saturday, I had a stall in the Potters’ Market and had a successful morning, selling out my newly made Steampunk style mugs.
Save the Date
A bunch of talented potters (including yours truly) on Tamborine Mountain and valleys will be doing the OPEN STUDIOS again this year. More info to follow, and keep up to date by following the Pottery Road Facebook page. Saturday and Sunday 11 and 12 November
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. 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!
Photos by Nicci Parry-JonesWhat an artist does when on holidays!
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. It 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.
Beatrix, Steampunk Teapot
I won an award in last year’s Sydney Teapot show (you can read more about this HERE). I have a work in progress for this year’s show, here’s a sneak peak at this new Steampunk teapot. My estimate is that 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’ MarketSaturday 2 September, 8am – 12pm at Maleny Showgrounds. Hosted by Suncoast Clayworkers with over 30 stalls and free admission! 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
The recent TMAC Open Studios in May 2023 was a great success and a wonderful chance to talk to artists and buy local handmade art. PJ Pottery had a display at a group exhibition at The Art Post Gallery
Part of the display at the Art Post Gallery during the TMAC Open Studio event
I am stoked that several of my unique Steampunk teapot creations have went to new homes over the weekend. There are now some fresh new one-of-a-kind teapots available in my SHOP like these two beauties, Bertrand and Lucille.
LucilleBertrand
PJ Pottery gallery reopens
The PJ Pottery home gallery has had a HUGE make-over and we will be hosting a re-opening party to celebrate at 3pm SUNDAY 18th JUNE . There will be local specials, a bit of bubbly and nibbles and a fair bit of talking about clay. If you would like to attend, please RSVP below:
I am excited to announce I will be participating in a group exhibition at The Art Post, Main Street Tamborine Mountain with other local artists: Cassi Ashton Thomas, Lilly Piri, Susan Lhamo, Kate French-McLean and Emma Dusting.
My display will be my signature Steampunk style teapots with some sweet surprises that I’ve been working on recently. This exhibition of paintings, mixed media and ceramics will be rich with colour, forms and textures in a delightful new art space in the heart of town.
This is part of the Tamborine Mountain Arts Collective (TMAC)OPEN STUDIOS event. There is a wonderful line up of artists opening their studios so it’s well worth a visit to Tamborine Mountain on the Mothers’ Day weekend 13 and 14 May. Find out more information on the TMAC website and on the Art Post website
A very happy New Year to you, have you made any resolutions? I plan on concentrating on my Steampunk teapots and new works and prepare for an exhibition I am having later this year with my friend and talented artist, Cassi Ashton-Thomas at The Art Post, Tamborine Mountain. I can’t wait to tell you more about this event but FIRST…
GLAZING 101 WORKSHOP @ PJ POTTERY
I am pleased to be offering an Introductory half-day glazing workshop
9am-12.30pm | Saturday 4 February 2023 | Fee $95
Attendees will assist in making a glaze to put on their own 2-3 stoneware bisqued pieces. Includes glaze materials, recipes and handouts. Glaze firing of work completed at this workshop is $7/kg.
This workshop will include:
making a glaze from scratch
preparation of your pots
basic glaze recipes
how to make line blend test tiles and recording results
Particularly one where you can take a look into an artists’ working studio. Under the brand-new banner Pottery Road, five local Tamborine Mountain and valley potters are joining forces to launch an open studio trail to coincide with the Australian Ceramics Open Studio event on Saturday & Sunday 12th & 13th of November 10am-4pm daily.
Nicci Parry-Jones PJ Pottery; Larissa Warren Ratbag Studios: Julia Bramich Julia Bramich Ceramics; Jo Mackenzie Jo Mackenzie Ceramics and Claudia De Salvo Claudia De Salvo Makeswill be selling their ceramics and some will offer workshops from their studios over the weekend. Larissa, Jo and Nicci will be in Tamborine Mountain studios, Claudia in Guanaba and Julia in Wonglepong. You can also catch an amazing exhibition of new works by Julie Shepherd at Under The Greenwood Tree on the same weekend
These potters are passionate about their craft and would love to share some insights into how they create. Each has a unique style, utilising different techniques to produce their ceramics from delicate jewellery, one-of-a-kind porcelain pieces, quirky teapots and functional dinnerware and homeware.
Follow the Pottery Road Facebook page to find more, details of studio specials and demonstrations and workshops on offer. PJ Pottery will be offering a fun 1 hour workshop – Make Your Own Platter Set
Visitors to the studios will see where the magic happens! This is the perfect time to stock up on gorgeous handmade Christmas presents. And as a special incentive, those who call into the studios over the weekend can go into the draw for beautiful ceramic package give-away from each of the studios. If you visit all five potters, you have five chances of winning!
Book in that road trip with your pottery-loving mates now!
So……I am absolutely thrilled to say that my entry into the 2022 Sydney Teapot Show won its category! A big thank you to Kerrie Lowe Gallery for putting on this wonderful exhibition and Gleebooks for sponsoring the Nonsense Poems Award this year. My entry was a tea-drinking Jabberwocky titled, “…as in uffish thought he stood…” inspired by the Lewis Carroll poem, Jabberwocky.
This ceramic-specific event, devoted to Australian ceramics and in particular Australian made teapots, provides a wonderful opportunity for potters like me. As a professional potter whose focus is on creating unique handmade teapots, winning the Sydney Teapot Show has been on my bucket list for many years and I am honoured to have won and have my work displayed alongside the teapots of other potters whose work I greatly admire.
As an added bonus, this teapot was sold during the exhibition. Woohoo!
If you are interested in knowing more about my background or purchasing my work:
