Bundanon Trust artist residency

 Watch the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GeDHNYSfbSA&t=546s

In this video I would like to share with you my experience of doing an artist residency at Bundanon Trust in New South Wales Australia. I am going to talk about: Why I went there? About the project What did I learn from the project Would I recommend doing an artist residency? What could I prepare to do an artist residency? Enjoy!

International Bone China Symposium 2020 - Kaunas Lithuania Vlog 5

Watch the video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQqGeH_eZKE&t=1099s

In this video I would like to share with you my finished artworks as well as the artworks created by the other artists.

The International Bone China Symposium 2020 Kaunas Exhibition at the Kaunas Picture Gallery of M.K. Ciulionis National Art Museum runs until the 13th of September 2020. The exhibition is also taking place at the Stone Galley in Kaunas.

This vlog is part of a series of videos recording my experience during the International Bone China Symposium at the Department of Ceramics and Porcelain at Kaunas Faculty of Vilnius Academy of Arts in Lithuania. Myself and my wife Wen-His Harman were both grateful to be invited to attend the event. The symposium runs from the 3rd of August to the 21st of August 2020.

Discover more about the artists at: http://www.porcelianosimpoziumas.lt/en/participants-2020/

International Bone China Symposium 2020 - Kaunas Lithuania Vlog 4

 

Watch the Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fyDVbdyAmhw

International Bone China Symposium 2020 - Kaunas Lithuania Vlog 4

In this video I thought I would share with you the progress from the studio so far. Bubble sculpture, fresh pieces out from the kiln, glazing and outdoor ceramic sculpture. This vlog is part of a series of videos recording my experience during the International Bone China Symposium at the Department of Ceramics and Porcelain at Kaunas Faculty of Vilnius Academy of Arts in Lithuania. Myself and my wife Wen-His Harman were both grateful to be invited to attend the event. The symposium runs from the 3rd of August to the 21st of August 2020.

International Bone China Symposium 2020 - Kaunas Lithuania Vlog 3

 Watch the Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EiNY6ixoGDc

International Bone China Symposium 2020 - Kaunas Lithuania Vlog 3 In this video I thought I would share with you what I have been making recently at the studio. This vlog is part of a series of videos recording my experience during the International Bone China Symposium at the Department of Ceramics and Porcelain at Kaunas Faculty of Vilnius Academy of Arts in Lithuania. Myself and my wife Wen-His Harman were both grateful to be invited to attend the event. The symposium runs from the 3rd of August to the 21st of August 2020.

International Bone China Symposium 2020 - Kaunas Lithuania Vlog 2

Watch the video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5KAYwSQHcMM&t=311s

International Bone China Symposium 2020 - Kaunas Lithuania Vlog 2 In this video I thought I would give you an insight into my travels around Kaunas and Vilnius in Lithuania before the start of the Symposium. This vlog is part of a series of videos recording my experience during the International Bone China Symposium at the Department of Ceramics and Porcelain at Kaunas Faculty of Vilnius Academy of Arts in Lithuania. Myself and my wife Wen-His Harman were both grateful to be invited to attend the event. The symposium runs from the 3rd of August to the 21st of August 2020.

International Bone China Symposium 2020 - Kaunas Lithuania Vlog 1

Watch the video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vG42WNolcFI&t=548s

International Bone China Symposium 2020 - Kaunas Lithuania Vlog 1 In this video I thought I would give you an update, a little early than the usual Saturday! I am very grateful to have been invited to attend the International Bone China Symposium at the Department of Ceramics and Porcelain at Kaunas Faculty of Vilnius Academy of Arts in Lithuania. Myself and my wife were both selected so we be going out there together. The symposium runs from the 3rd of August to the 21st of August 2020. As the event will be focused on bone china porcelain the plan will be to investigate its possibilities from a sculptural approach. I am going to try and record the journey and keep you posted with new videos.

International Ceramics Studio Kecskemet Hungary Symposium 2019 🇭🇺

In this video I thought it would be interesting to talk about my experience of being invited to attend the International Ceramics Studio Kecskemét Hungary Symposium 2019.

It’s a place where ceramic artists from all over the world can go to experiment and try new things. In total there were 12 artists who participated in this event. Most of them working with sculpture and one person working with tableware. If you want to check out those artists feel free to watch my video “International Ceramics Studio Kecskemét Hungary” recommended at the end of this video.

It was my first visit to Hungary. I always like the opportunity to visit a country as I can immerse myself in a new way of life.

I went to this symposium with an open mind to create experimental ceramic sculpture.

Thank you very much to the organisers of this event for inviting me I really appreciated the opportunity to learn.

2019 Symposium, International Ceramics Studio, Kecskemét, Hungary 15th August-6th September. Kapolna Gallery Exhibition 5th to the 17th of September 2019

 Artists works exhibitied at the Kapolna Gallery

Tamara van San. Belgium. Red serpent

www.tamaravansan.org

Simcha Even-Chen. Israel. Folding in Motion 1

www.simcha-evenchen.com/default.aspx

Rejka Erika. Hungary. Atmenet

https://www.behance.net/rejka

 

Martin Harman. UK

www.martinharmanart.com

Nema Julia. Hungary. A4

https://www.facebook.com/studionema/

Strohner Marton. Hungary. Collection P. Raw Celadon

https://mastrodesign.eu/en

Polyak Janos. Hungary. Tajkep I-III. 

Husz Agnes. Hungary./Japan. Harvest I. 

http://www.agneshusz.com/index.html

Monori Anita. Hungary. 

http://www.monori.pro

Margeaux Claude. USA. Cup

https://www.margeauxclaude.com

Artists who participated in the residency

Wen-Hsi Harman. UK

https://www.wenhsichenceramics.com

Beatrijs van Rheeden. Netherlands.

http://www.beatrijsvanrheeden.nl/index.html

Chloe Dowds. Ireland

https://chloedowds.com

Video taken form the Kapolna Gallery Exhibition 5th to the 17th of September 2019

2019 Symposium, International Ceramics Studio, Kecskemét, Hungary 15th August-6th September. Kapolna Gallery Exhibition 5th to the 17th of September 2019

Ceramic sculptures: (Stone effect) the artwork on the left. 3/9/19, H31 x W29 x L26, stoneware, slips, wax, fired once to 1230c. 

(The flies eggs) the artwork on the right displayed on the wall. 3/9/19, H10 x W24 x L24. Stoneware, slips, wax, fired once to 1230c.

The beginning of an end! 

It's very nice seeing the exhibition come together after all of the hard work. It's interesting to see how the sculptures interact with the space they are in. Originally I made three ceramic sculptures and from this the organisers selected two pieces. I am happy that the organisers decided to display my spherical sculpture as I was not sure they would select this but it is good to see that they did and their decision to display it on the wall. 

As I only had a short time to create my work, I did not think I would have the time to create three sculptures. I focused all of my attention in the beginning of the symposium on making two sculptures. I wanted to create something complete to the best of my ability. However when I finished making two sculptures I realised I had the time to create a third one seen on the wall. I decided I would not be so meticulously strict with its creation. Therefore I was more experimental as I was safe in knowing that I already had two finished sculptures.

Thank you to the organisers at International Ceramics Studio, Kecskemét, Hungary for organising the symposium, for inviting me and putting on an immersive thought provoking exhibition.

2019 Symposium, International Ceramics Studio, Kecskemét, Hungary 15th August-6th September. Finished results.

Wax on. 3/9/19, H21 x W29 x L26. Stoneware, slips, wax, fired once to 1230c.

Stone effect. 3/9/19, H31 x W29 x L26. Stoneware, slips, wax, fired once to 1230c.

The flies eggs. 3/9/19, H10 x W24 x L24. Stoneware, slips, wax, fired once to 1230c.

Three ceramic sculptures finished.

Before I started this symposium my intention was to challenge myself by being more experemental by creating new forms which then led onto looking at a diffierent approach to applying colour. I realised that looking back at other symposiums and residencies I have taken part in, it has always put me in the position were I am takern out of my comfot-zone. I have to embrace being comfatable with not being comftable. I have to adapt to the new enviroment, new matearls that I have not used before, and usually a short time shedual. It can be intense as expectations are always high to achieve the best results, and with this symposium an exhibition of the final outcomes is required so that puts some more presure on.

The results produced at this symposium have provided me with a lot to think about. The is a subtle quietness and simplicity to these sculptures, the clay and materials seem to reveal themselves in a natural way. As they are unglazed the eye seems to be drawn to the simplicity of the form. The colour seems to enhance the way the form is seen, braking up the forms in a way that is on the surface. The colour is like some kind of packaging to the forms, providing another way to examine the shape and space. 

Looking at this new body of work has got me thinking about new explorations of forms and colour that I could consider for future works. 

2019 Symposium, International Ceramics Studio, Kecskemét, Hungary 15th August-6th September. Ceramic sculptures waiting to be fired.

Throwing cones and spheres on the potters wheel.

Joining the shapes together.

Different shapes assembled to create the overall forms.

Applying the coloured slips with a paint-brush.

Burnishing the colour with a metal spoon to create a shiny surface.

The completed forms ready to dry and be fried.

A full-on 10 days of making. Not a lot of time for other things like social media until now. Time has flown by quickly. I think like other events like this the schedule really forces me to work fast. From the start of this symposium I really have not had any time to think much about my actions, I have had to put my mind-set into constant making to meet the schedule deadline. This symposium is on for just over three weeks, so that is just over one-week making, one-week drying and firing, and the remaining days finishing and setting up the exhibition.

I used a white stoneware clay from Hungary to create the forms that were created from wheel-thrown components such as cones and spheres that were cut up and joined together. Coloured slips were applied to the outside, then polished with a spoon.

I am just going to let these two sculptures dry before putting them in the kiln for a single firing to 1230c. Again because of the limited time I am doing a single firing as I do not have the time to do multiple firings like I usually do. The process is quite similar to the making process I used in Germany.

The plan with these two pieces is to display them on their side so that the eye can observe the inside as well as outside of the forms.

2019 Symposium, International Ceramics Studio, Kecskemét, Hungary 15th August-6th September. Getting to know the place.

The Studio. I would like to think were ideas become reality.

The arch. Reminds me of forgotten ceramic objects.

The Garden full of ceramic Treasures

The Kilns. In some cultures people pray to the gods to ask for a successful firing, I don't know if that is the case for people in Hungary.

We have finally arrived at 2019 Symposium, International Ceramics Studio, Kecskemét, Hungary 15th August-6th September. 

Just in the process of settling in and getting to know the studio such were myself and my wife will be working, the kilns, accommodation and all the other necessities.

We had a bit of time to go around the city and find some food as we will need to prepare our own. We have not had a lot of time to explore yet but looking on google it seems there is a lot to explore. Feel free to see: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kecskemét for more information about the city of Kecskemét.

If you are a artist working with ceramics feel free to check out the International Ceramics Studio, Kecskemét, Hungary website at: http://www.icshu.org/ics.html as they offer opportunities for artists to apply for residencies.

Cross-cultural Identity Through Clay, Shigaraki Ceramic Cultural Park, Japan. 4th of October to 4th of November 2018 (End of the Residency)

After all the work we finally managed to complete 10 tiles in total.

The three images above is the location for the tile sculpture. In keeping with our idea we arranged the tiles to symbolise a path. Originally we kept our options open and selected a number of locations for the staff at the park to choose from. We finally agreed upon this location. What is nice about this space is that it is perched up on a hill that looks out into the distance. We arranged the sculpture to point towards the landscape in the distance to symbolise moving into different spaces.

Thank you to the staff including Yoshiko Takahashi and Akira Tao for helping us plan the installation.

We were hoping that we could install the sculpture before leaving the residency. However this was not possible so it will be installed after we leave by the staff. The tape around the piece marks a boundary for concrete to be placed up to and underneath the piece. The tile sculpture we be slightly raised off the ground. We are looking forward to seeing the finished result. 

The three images above show other locations. We were interested in taking pictures of the sculpture in different locations to understand how it interacts with different environments. 

Personally this project has got me thinking about how to place sculpture in an outdoor space. I realised important factors come to mind such as how to balance the sculpture with nature thereby respecting nature. It also got me thinking about the potential of sculpture to interact within an outdoor space.

Myself and Wen-Hsi Harman have decided to name this sculpture Cross-Cultural Path.

Thank you to all of the staff, artists and visitors at the Shigaraki Ceramic Cultural Park and the locals around Shigaraki who helped make this project possible.