Judges’ comments on the winning piece:
In selecting the winning work, we looked back at the entrants’ original submissions as well as examining the exhibition works. Entrants were invited to send information and photographs of up to ten works for our consideration. These images and the information helped us to confirm our final, difficult decision.
The winning piece could only have been made in Aotearoa New Zealand. Imaged in clay, one of our iconic birds, the Kererū (native pigeon) and one of our iconic trees, the nikau palm, form a trophy-like vessel. This chosen work is made using recycled and local clays and reclaimed glaze remnants with added oxides. It references environmental and sustainability issues and celebrates our native flora and fauna. The making is well considered and the confident use of clay and glaze impressed us. The work is loosely formed and textured without being slavishly literal in its execution.
We hope that by winning the Award, HineWaiKerekere is able to progress her work with clay, and look forward to seeing the potential we view in her work realised in the future.
Judges’ comments:
We would like to thank all those who submitted an entry to this, the second triennial Emerging Practitioner in Clay Award.
Deliberately, the criteria for “emerging” was amended this time to makers who have been working with clay for five years or less.
The aim of this award is to present talent which has not been identified previously and to give the recipient of the Award a financial boost, enabling them to progress their career in ceramics.
When the 2018 award winner Oliver Morse won, he had been working with clay for less than two years. Since winning he has bought an electric kiln, has had solo exhibitions, and taken part in group exhibitions. He now spends much of his time working with clay when not undertaking design projects.
We had vigorous, lengthy discussions and had to make some difficult decisions, selecting 29 of the 67 entries submitted.
The exhibition includes work from all around Aotearoa New Zealand, ranging in styles, techniques, aesthetics encompassing all aspects of working with clay, from the humble to the extroverted. It demonstrates that the future of studio ceramics in this country looks lively and positive. We encourage those not selected to continue working with clay and be part of the resurgence of the medium.
We hope you enjoy the exhibition and find work which will excite, inspire, challenge, and stimulate discussion, or simply require your quiet contemplation.
John Parker has worked in clay since 1969 and gained an MA in Ceramics from The Royal College of Art UK in 1975. He is an award-winning ceramic artist and a member of the International Academy of Ceramics (Geneva). He was awarded a Waitakere City Millennium medal and received an Art’s Foundation Laureate in 2010. John is also an award-winning theatre designer.
Rick Rudd trained at Great Yarmouth and Wolverhampton Colleges of Art, UK from 1968 – 1972. He came to Aotearoa New Zealand in 1973 and has been president of both the Auckland and New Zealand Potter’s societies. He is the director/curator of Quartz, Museum of Studio Ceramics and in 2020 was awarded an MNZM.
Andrea du Chatenier is a sculptor turned ceramicist. She holds a Master of Fine Art from RMIT, Melbourne and has received numerous grants and awards for her accomplished and challenging work. She has spent many years lecturing in art and design and currently teaches at UCOL in Whanganui. Andrea was awarded residencies in Guldagergaad, Denmark in 2017 and also in Vermont USA in 2019.
