An Exhibition in The Botanic Gardens

Artisans in the Gardens Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney

Snapshots from the Artisans in the Gardens Exhibition 9 - 12 October 2015

The Royal Botanic Garden Sydney is a major botanical garden located in the heart of Sydney, Australia. Opened in 1816, the garden is the oldest scientific institution in Australia and one of the most important historic botanical institutions in the world.

Design: Frances Smith Photography: Artisans Facebook Page & The Artist

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rtisans in the Gardens is an annual event in association with Art & About Sydney. The exhibition is set in and around the historic Lion Gate building surrounded by the natural beauty of the Botanic Gardens.

Head Curator for the Artisans in the Gardens 2015 exhibition, Julianne Mills bought together original and innovative artworks from artistic disciplines such as sculpture, jewellery, ceramics, glass, wood and textiles.

My ceramics used Endangered as the exhibition theme, which I hoped would fit well with the curators wanting to showcase work which “draws on the intrinsic beauty of nature and current vital issues such as sustainability.�

Participating Artisans in the Gardens was a great opportunity to exhibit with other artists and also a way to support his wonderful event as all proceeds from the sale of works support the Botanic Gardens and the local artists.

The Calanthe Orchid

The name Calanthe means ‘beautiful flower’ in Greek, an allusion to the attractive flowers of many of the Calanthe species. Calanthe triplicata grows in the rainforests and flowers around Christmas, so it is often referred to as the Christmas orchid, or Christmas lily.

These “nesting bowls” were created in Southern Ice Porcelain. The illustrated outside surface is ‘polished’ to give a soft buttery feel and the interior surface is glazed for functionality.

The Curator

Julieanne Mills, Head Curator, Artisans in the Gardens exhibition (seen on the left) set the bar high in 2015 with a professionally curated show bringing together artists from all disciplines in the stunning setting of the Botanic Garden on Sydney’s harbourside.

The opening night guests listened to speeches by Debbie (CEO), Julieanne (Curator) & Simon Marnie (ABC 702).

Feather Bowls

The feather bowls represent the fragile nest of an Australian bird. Each bowl is created using the “Neriage” technique which combines different colours or porcelain incorporated into the main body of porcelain and thrown into shape. The bowl is turned to reveal the swirls of the coloured clay. Each bowl is unique. The ‘feathers’ are in the form of decals as a third firing.

Endangered

Endangered is a theme used to create these porcelain forms. The small bud vases in the foreground are each illustrated with endangered Australian flora. The set of three sits within a specially designed ‘found’ wood stand. The exterior is polished to a smooth satin matt surface and the interior is glazed for functionality.

Endangered

Each of these Southern Ice porcelain vessels is hand illustrated in black underglaze using a fine ‘syringe’. The image is first sketched onto the surface before applying the black underglaze and then bisque fired. The piece is polished on the outside to give a soft buttery feel and the interior is glazed for functionality.