The Art of Ted Secombe

25 August - 9 September, 2018, Skepsi @ Malvern Artists’ Society Gallery

Ted Secombe, 31. Round Form , 2018, porcelain, plum matt crystalline glaze, H30 x W28cm

Ted Secombe 14. Flat Bowl , 2018, porcelain, teal blue crystalline glaze with blue monochromatic exterior, H9 x W36cm

Ted Secombe 6. Kimono Series, 2018, porcelain, grey crystalline glaze with black monochromatic panels, H38 x W26cm

Ted Secombe 4. Kimono Series, 2018, porcelain, blue on red crystalline glaze with blue monochromatic panels, H37 x W29cm

Ted Secombe 5. Flared Bowl, Floral Series, 2018, porcelain, blue on red crystalline glaze with flow glaze, H48 x W15cm

Ted Secombe 41. Form with Lugs , 2018, porcelain, blue green matt crystalline glaze, H42 x W20cm

Ted Secombe 19. Stoppered Bottle , 2018, porcelain, galaxy cobalt blue crystalline glaze, H36 x W16cm

Ted Secombe 60. Wrens, bronze, copper patina, black granite base, H46 x W28 each

Ted Secombe 33. Kimono Series , 2018, porcelain, purple gloss crystalline glaze with cobalt blue monochromatic panels, H31 x W28cm

Ted Secombe 29. Pod Bowl - Kimberley Sunrise , 2018, porcelain, gloss crystalline cobalt blue and red glazes, H32 x W23cm

Ted Secombe, 65. Platter, 2018, porcelain, orange with silver beige crystalline glaze, H5 x W49cm

Ted Secombe 45. Kimono series , 2018, porcelain, white gloss crystalline glaze with black monochromatic panels, H26 x H24cm

Ted Secombe 39. Kimono Series , 2018, porcelain, olive gloss and purple crystalline glaze with navy panels, H46 x W21cm

Ted Secombe 13. Galaxy Bottle, 2018, porcelain, cobalt blue crystalline glaze, H42 x W17cm

Ted Secombe 62. Blue Wren, fibreglass, internal stainless steel skeleton on polished stainless steel base, automotive paint finish, H180 x W100cm

Ted Secombe 8. Kimono Series, 2018, porcelain, grey matt crystalline glaze with black monochromatic panels, H30 x W19cm

Ted Secombe 9. Kimono Series , 2018, porcelain, cerise crystalline glaze with emerald green monochromatic panels, H36 x W24cm

Ted Secombe 47. Kimono Series , 2018, porcelain, white gloss crystalline glaze with black monochromatic panels, H33 x W26cm

Ted Secombe 32. Kimono Series , 2018, porcelain, purple matt crystalline glaze with black monochromatic panels, H34 x W23cm

Ted Secombe 1. Set of 3 Bottles, Kimono Series, 2018, porcelain, grey matt crystalline glaze with blue monochromatic panel, heights 44, 40 & 36cm

Ted Secombe 10. Flared Bowl, Floral Series, 2018, porcelain, burgundy crystalline glaze with green and black flow glaze, H12 x W42cm

Ted Secombe 26. Beaded Round Form, Kimono Series , 2018, porcelain pink matt crystalline glaze, H38 x W35cm

Ted Secombe 3. Kimono Series, 2018, porcelain, blue on red crystalline glaze with blue monochromatic panels, H37 x W29cm

Ted Secombe 7. Flat Bowl, 2018, porcelain, grey crystalline glaze interior with black monochromatic exterior, H8 x W38cm

Ted Secombe 2. Set of 3 Bottles, Kimono Series, 2018, porcelain, blue matt crystalline glaze with black monochromatic panels, heights 43, 38 & 36cm

Ted Secombe 16. Galaxy Bottle with Long Neck , 2018, porcelain, cobalt blue crystalline glaze, H47 x W25cm

Ted Secombe 55. Set of 3 Forms , 2018, porcelain, pale blue matt crystalline glaze with white collars, heights 42, 38 & 32cm

Ted Secombe 12. Set of 3 Vases, 2018, porcelain, pearl white crystalline glaze, heights 31, 29 & 27cm

Ted Secombe 15. Three Panelled Vase with Beading, Kimono Series , 2018, porcelain, three blue crystalline glazes, H38 x W10cm

Ted Secombe 21. Form with Bird Skull Lugs , 2018, porcelain, matt crystalline glaze, H40 x W16cm

Ted Secombe 22. Long Necked Bottle , 2018, porcelain, cobalt blue and white crystalline glaze, H31 x W19cm

Ted Secombe 23. Kimono Series , 2018, porcelain, blue crystalline glaze on grey with emerald panels H33 x W19cm

Ted Secombe 17. Kimono Series , 2018, porcelain, blue and white crystalline glaze, H38 x W36cm

Ted Secombe 11. Flat Bowl, 2018, porcelain, pearl white crystalline glaze, H8 x W35cm

Ted Secombe 20. Form with Lugs , 2018, porcelain, lemon matt crystalline glaze, H49 x W15cm

Ted Secombe 24. Bottle , 2018, porcelain, soft lemon crystalline glaze, H32 x W18cm

Ted Secombe 18. Kimono Series , 2018, porcelain, two blue galaxy crystalline glazes, H39 x W22cm

Ted Secombe 30. Flat Shouldered Bottle with Bird Skull Lugs , 2018, porcelain, blue and tan matt crystalline glaze, H46 x W12cm

Ted Secombe 34. Lugged Form , 2018, porcelain, purple to green gloss crystalline glaze, H32 x W19cm

Ted Secombe 27. High Shouldered Form , 2018, porcelain, gun metal crystalline glaze, H25 x W18cm

Ted Secombe, 68. Flat Bowl, 2018, porcelain, matt green and red blush crystalline glaze with white monochromatic exterior, H5 x W37cm

Ted Secombe 36. Pod Bowl, Kimono Series , 2018, porcelain, aqua gloss crystalline glaze with black monochromatic panels, H26 x W20cm

Ted Secombe 25. Pod Bowl with Beading , 2018, porcelain, soft green matt crystalline glaze, H38 x W20cm

Ted Secombe 28. Form with Lugs , 2018, porcelain, gun metal crystalline glaze, H26 x W12cm

Ted Secombe 38. Urchin Form, Kimono Series , 2018, porcelain, soft blue matt crystalline glaze with navy panels, H25 x W28cm

Ted Secombe 43. Set of 3 Bottles , 2018, porcelain, aquamarine gloss crystalline glaze, heights 34, 31 & 26cm

Ted Secombe 40. Bottle , 2018, porcelain, tortoiseshell gloss crystalline glaze, H26 x W20cm

Ted Secombe 37. Bottle , 2018, porcelain, aqua gloss crystalline glaze, H26 x W19cm

Ted Secombe 48. High Shouldered Form , 2018, porcelain, gun metal crystalline glaze, H32 x W23cm

Ted Secombe 42. Form , 2018, porcelain, blue matt crystalline glaze, H43 x W26cm

Ted Secombe, 59. Flared Bowl Floral Series, 2018, red and blue crystalline glaze with monochromatic black flow glaze, H15 x W46cm

Ted Secombe 46. Round Form , 2018, porcelain, pearl white crystalline glaze, H26 x W23cm

Ted Secombe 44. Round Form , 2018, porcelain, soft lemon and green matt crystalline glaze, H32 x W22cm

Ted Secombe 49. Bottle - Native Landscape , 2018, porcelain, white gloss crystalline glaze on bronze, H19 x W16cm

Ted Secombe 50. Bottle , 2018, porcelain, galaxy blue crystalline glaze with white, H26 x W17cm

Ted Secombe 56. Form with Lugs , 2018, porcelain, lemon and green matt crystalline glaze, H37 x W10cm

Ted Secombe 52. Kimono Series , 2018, porcelain, white crystalline glaze with black monochromatic panels, H31 x W26cm

Ted Secombe 51. Bottle , 2018, porcelain, blue on bronze gloss crystalline glaze, H25 x W11cm

Ted Secombe 57. Round Form , 2018, porcelain, tungsten lustre glaze, H29 x W29cm

Ted Secombe 54. High Shouldered Form , 2018, porcelain, olive and blue crystalline glaze, H40 x W23cm

Ted Secombe 53. Round Form, Kimono Series , 2018, porcelain, blue on red crystalline glaze with black monochromatic panels, H32 x W30cm

Ted Secombe 61. Wrens, bronze, bronze finish, black granite base, H46 x W28 each

Ted Secombe, 58. Flared Bowl Floral Series, 2018, porcelain, white crystalline glaze, black monochromatic flow glaze, H15 x W46cm

Ted Secombe, 63. Lugged Bottle, 2018, porcelain, satin matt crystalline blue glaze on cream with pink blush, H31 x W19cm

Ted Secombe, 66. Platter, 2018, porcelain, pale green and grey crystalline glaze, H4 x W48cm

Ted Secombe, 64. Stoppered Bottle, 2018, porcelain, cerise crystalline glaze with green stopper, bird skull lugs, H37 x W25cm

Ted Secombe, 67. Flat Bowl, 2018, porcelain, orange with silver beige crystalline glaze with monochromatic black exterior, H5 x W38cm

Ted Secombe, 69. Bowl , 2018, porcelain, ice blue matt crystalline glaze, H20 x W38cm

Kirk Winter & Yuri Wiedenhofer

30 June - 15 July 2018, Skepsi @ Malvern Artists' Society Gallery

Kirk Winter - “The multitude of surfaces, natural colour palette, layers and windows of dry matte, satin and occasional gloss are the results which bring me the most interest. I enjoy the textures, the roughness, even the scars. They are honest. Testament to a natural process, opposing a commercial industrial aesthetic. It is working with nature and accepting it, rather than dominating."

Yuri Wiedenhofer - "This whole business of torching art after the original composition, to give voice to greater risk, is where I still find the thrill and spills. Imagine a canvas in the final act, unquestionably subsumed in raging fire for completion, or a book? Sacrilege!"

Owen Rye Artist Studio Exhibition

6 May 2018, Gippsland

A Class of Their Own

Brian Keyte, Arnaud Barraud, Terunobu Hirata

14 - 29 April 2018, Skepsi @ Malvern Artists' Society Gallery

BRIAN KEYTE

As a former Mechanical Design Draftsman and Engineer, it’s not surprising that I base my work on carefully considered research into the nature of form and surface. The challenge I find, is to push beyond this to an artistic level of eliciting an emotional response from the viewer, whilst at the same time still passing the Engineer’s “fit for purpose” test, meaning more correctly, “appropriate” for purpose. When you acquire my work, I would hope the purpose to be a lifetime of enjoyment. To this end I use high fired porcelaneous stoneware clay for its mechanical qualities of durability, strength and impermeability, and the artistic qualities one can achieve with copper and iron glazes at this temperature as well as the pure sounding ring of the vitrified body.

Humankind has evolved within the natural world. I reason, therefore, that if one can utilise nature’s design rules then the product will rest easy on the eye, as that is what we are used to, whether we consciously realise it or not. This should apply to form, colour and surface. The form is therefore thrown with the so-called “golden mean” and/or a Fibonacci progression in mind as a primary guide, the plastic nature of the clay and the intended glaze contributing to the completeness of the form.

I don’t make an “object”, that is the way to make routine, everyday work. I make “form” looking at line and movement rather than a “bowl” or vase. The Art is in the form. The final glaze finish should contribute to the piece in a similar way, changing and moving with the form to create a unified whole that beckons the viewer to touch and hold.

Place of Birth: Melbourne Victoria. Initial training, Holmesglen Institute of TAFE, Melbourne, Diploma of Arts Ceramics, 1996. Exhibitions include: 2016, Distinctive, Skepsi @ Montsalvat; 2014, Quiet Conversations, Skepsi @ Montsalvat; 2013, finalist Manningham Victorian Ceramic Arts Award; 2011 Reflections, Solo Exhibition, Skepsi @ Malvern; Arresting, Skepsi @ Malvern; Manningham Victorian Ceramic Art Award, exhibition and acquisition Manningham City Council; 2010 Gold Struck, Solo Exhibition, Skepsi on Swanston Melbourne; 2009 Brian Keyte, Solo Exhibition, Skepsi on Swanston Melbourne; 2007 Rhythm and Motion, Solo Exhibition, Skepsi on Swanston Melbourne; 2006 A Taste of Salt, Salt Gallery, Queenscliff Victoria; The Christmas Collection, Beaver Galleries, ACT. 2005 commenced full time studio ceramics. Collections include: Bendigo Art Gallery, Manningham City Council Collection, public and private collections in Australia, NZ, Singapore, Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, China, USA, Canada, France and India.

ARNAUD BARRAUD

My career as a potter started quite accidentally. I was working as a painter in Sydney for six years through the mid to late 1960’s, rarely selling a painting and doing all sorts of casual work to support myself. In 1970, I decided to return to Auckland, New Zealand, where I was born, and stayed initially with a potter Adrian Cotter (some years previously, I had shared a house with Adrian while he tried to establish himself as a potter). At that time I was not interested in ‘trying my hand’, but I thoroughly enjoyed being close to the activity and the thrill of peeking into a kiln opening.

Adrian suggested that I try making pots in order to support my ‘painting habit’. He gave me two glaze recipes, a stoneware body recipe and a good look at his kiln. I then rented a house with a garage, and in the garage, immediately built a dense brick oil fired kiln -this was even before throwing a single pot. A forty-four gallon oil drum on the roof feed the two homemade forced draught burners. Adrian lent me a wheel he had made but had no further use for.

So I sat down and tried to throw pots to fill my kiln. My ‘learning to throw’ method was to take it to a stage that I didn’t know how to progress beyond; then I would return to watch Adrian. This process taught me how to watch intensely.

I look back with horror at the first time I fired the kiln. The firing progressed to a strong orange heat, at which point one wall of the kiln started to open up at the top, sending flames up, smoldering the rafters. I realised later that I had not noticed Adrian’s kiln had steel reinforcements.

Instead of turning the kiln off, I drove around the corner to the hardware store, bought a hose, returned and doused the woodwork then propped a steel stake against the wall to close the gap… and finished the firing. Fortunately in the 70’s, you could sell pretty well any old pot and those early pots were awful, but I was hooked and making pots has been my passion ever since.

I moved back to Sydney late 1976 and set up a pottery in the top floor of a large terrace house in Brown Street, Newtown. The kiln was in the disused outdoor dunny – our neighbours loved it as they still used their outdoor adjoining toilet, it warmed them on winter nights.

Next came Port Macquarie, NSW in 1978, where I worked in a large abandoned timber mill, sharing it with many varieties of snakes. I didn’t bother them and they didn’t bother me.

In 1980, I eventually moved to Melbourne where I remain working in my tin shed in Kalorama. I still work mostly with reduction-fired stoneware, but am rapidly falling under the spell of translucent porcelain, especially Southern Ice.

TERUNOBU HIRATA

For over 30 years, I have lived in Australia after leaving my home country, Japan. The life in Australia has always reminded me of my Japanese origin. My passions have been to express the emotions and feelings I have had through my life in Australia, into my work.

My work process is that I initially determine the form (shape) and work on the glaze when it is in a completed shape of form. I transform the wheel thrown form when the form is firm like leather by using various methods including faceting, fluting, pushing in and out, stretching, patting and carving.

I have been fascinated by the Bizen’s features of simplicity reflected in the dark and subdued colors. In order to produce the Bizen’s characteristics, I use a dark body clay available in Australia and applied the method of transferring the tracing of fire onto the face of pottery by using ash and straw glazes, although glazes are not used in Bizen ware.

With this body of work, ash glazes and the Bernard Leach transparent glaze has been used.

I often use the glaze recipe from Warrandyte Potter’s Cottage during my training days. Also, synthetic ashes, wood ashes locally produced and straw ashes imported from Japan are applied to achieve specific effects. For example, the recipe from Joana Francis is used to create the black mat glaze and ashes are sprayed on to give it more depth.

Place of birth: Osaka, Japan. Initial training, Warrandyte Potter’s Cottage 1990-1994. Established Terry Koubou Pottery in Templestowe, 1994, creating pottery for many restaurants, especially Japanese restaurants in Melbourne. Exhibitions include: Gifted, Skepsi @ Malvern, 2017; Identity, Skepsi @ Montsalvat, 2017; Distinctive, Skepsi @ Montsalvat, 2016; Exhibition, Maunsell Wicks Gallery, Sydney, 2016; Gifted, Skepsi @ Malvern, 2016; Gifted, Skepsi @ Malvern, 2015; Solo Exhibition, East & West Art Gallery, 2015; Quiet Conversations, Skepsi @ Montsalvat, 2014; Gifted, Skepsi @ Malvern Artist’s Society, 2014; West Coast, East Coast Ceramics Exhibition with Greg Crowe, East and West Art, Melbourne 2012; Celebrating The Master, Skepsi on Swanston Gallery Carlton, 2004; The Second Wave at Fo Guang Yuan Art Gallery 2003. Awards include: Pottery of the Year Award at Potter’s Cottage 1993; Manningham Victorian Ceramic Art Award 2011 Finalist; Manningham Acquisition Award 2013. Collections include: private and corporate collections throughout Australia.

Artist Studio Exhibition - Janet Beckhouse

24 & 25 February 2018, Melbourne

JANET BECKHOUSE

In my practice, I sculpt clay. It’s the medium I’ve chosen to express myself. The tactile feeling and plastic quality of clay are what I love. Whilst studying Masters (finishing in 2012), I was forced to look at the how, where and why of what I was doing in my practice. This lead to many personal insights into the past regarding works that emerged at quite specific times. My emotions were more relevant than I gave them credit for. Before this I assumed I just made stuff by whim! Also, the psychology of childhood, the sea and the bush that represented freedom in my early memories still permeate the work. I have always found peace and refuge in those environments. My work and creative interests have become all encompassing over the years. I realise I do not wish to do anything else. It gives me peace, comfort, and meaning in my life, and to share it is a joy.

Born Melbourne Victoria. Initial training Bachelor of Fine Art (with Honours), RMIT University 2000; Master of Fine Art, Monash University, 2012. Exhibitions include: Artist Studio Exhibition, Windsor 2018; Melbourne Now, NGV 2014; Dance of the Dissident Daughter, Skepsi @ Malvern 2012; Then & Now, Skepsi on Swanston Gallery 2008; Gift of Rod Fyffe, Bendigo Gallery 2008; Australian Culture Now, Ian Potter Centre NGV 2004; 6th Australian Craft and Design Showcase, Glen Eira City Gallery 2003; Hermann’s Art Award, Christine Abraham’s Gallery 2003; Prix De La Ville Carouge 2003, Geneva Switzerland. Publications: Ceramics Art & Perception, Issue 68 2007; Art & Australia, September 2003; Pottery In Australia, Volume 42 No 2, Winter 2003; 500 Bowls, Lark Publications, USA 2003; Ceramics, Art & Perception, Issue 68 2003. Collections include: National Gallery of Victoria, National Gallery of Australia, Hamilton Art Gallery, Shepparton Art Museum, Bendigo Art Gallery, Margaret Lawrence Collection Victorian College of The Arts.