Clunes Ceramic Award

This superb work from our 2022 exhibition is now on display in Ballarat Art Gallery. Well worth a visit.

PEOPLE'S CHOICE WINNER

We are pleased to announced that Pauline Meade has won the 2022 People's Choice Award for her work 'Shadows and bare branches'. Among the visiting public, 'Shadows and bare branches' was judged the most favourable among this year's stellar range of ceramics. Congratulations to Pauline Meade, who has won prize monies of $2,500.

The exhibit will wrap up over the course of this afternoon (Sunday 23 October), and will close for the year at 4.30pm.

GOOD NEWS!!

We are reopening the Clunes Ceramic Award exhibition from 10.30 am Saturday 15th (tomorrow) and Sunday 16th.

Please come along and view all 47 brilliant ceramic pieces and make your vote for the People's Choice Award. The winner of this award will receive $2,500.

This weekend is the second-last weekend of the exhibition, which will close at 4.30 pm on next Sunday 23rd. We hope to see you there.

[Image credit: Kelly Austin's 'Stilled Composition 112', one of the exhibiting works.]

** WET WEATHER UPDATE **

Because of the torrents coming down, we are shut Thursday (13th) and Friday (14th) until further notice. Everyone stay safe and dry as best you can. We hope to open Saturday, but we will advise closer to the weekend.

Artists who follow this page: the venue has been checked and there are no apparent leaks. We will check again tomorrow as the conditions improve or worsen and make the necessary protections to the exhibiting pieces.

ANNOUNCING THE WINNERS OF THE 2022 CLUNES CERAMIC AWARD

First prize, the 2022 Clunes Ceramic Award, goes to Mahala Hill for her piece Mutated Hive II. Mahala takes prize monies of $10,000 for her superb work. This was Mahala's third entry to the Clunes Ceramic Award and her first short-listing; a tremendous achievement. This piece has been acquired by the Castlemaine Art Museum and enters their collections. Mahala Hill - Artist

Joint runner-ups, each winning a High Commendation Award, are Robert Barron for Large Jar - for pickling olives and Garry Bish for Two Ships 2021. Each is awarded $1,250; congratulations for excellent work. Robert Barron, Gooseneck Pottery

The judging panel also granted three Awards for Excellence to Kate Dorrough for The River's Ancient Song, Holly Macdonald for Autumn Vessel, and Simon Reece for blue rock. Well done to these winners of $150 vouchers to Northcote Pottery and Walker Ceramics.

Finally, the judges also created two awards for recognition of high-quality work. These went to Pauline Meade for Shadows and bare branches and Jennifer Conroy-Smith for The Space Within. The judges and organisers offer their congratulations to these two artists.

One final prize, the People's Choice, will be announced on Sunday 23 October. All visitors to the exhibition are allowed to vote for their favourite work.

Please visit Thursday–Sunday 10.30 am to 4.30pm from now till 23 October to make your vote and to see the brilliant pieces on exhibit at the Union Bank Arts Centre, 22 Fraser Street, Clunes.

Exclusive early viewing of 2022 Clunes Ceramic Award exhibition at this Friday's locals' night.

From 5.30pm to 8pm on Friday 30 September, we are hosting an exclusive viewing of the exhibited works before the official opening this Saturday 1 October. Please join us for a sneak-peek and for drinks and nibbles at the Union Bank Arts Centre, 22 Fraser Street.

Please also register if you would like to volunteer to assist with the exhibition over October: https://forms.gle/bsMXuUMgeeBhZXMs9

[Image credit: Danielle Segal's 'Contemplating country after rain', an example of this year's short-listed entries. All works exhibited are for sale.]

Want to volunteer with the Clunes Ceramics Award? Our pop-up stall is open today on Fraser St 9am - midday! Pop by to find out more and sign up.

Or, head to this link to learn about what we're looking for and register: https://forms.gle/upQQ3NnVA382txzt6

Image: 2019 Finalist Ann Ferguson's 'Settlement'

Calling volunteers!

Would you like to help run the 2022 Clunes Ceramic Award?

We are reopening our volunteer stand this coming Saturday 17th September in front of the Clunes Greener Grocer (46 Fraser Street) from 9 am to 12 noon.

Please drop by if you are interested in signing up or to ask any questions.

Alternatively, you can get more information and register at https://forms.gle/upQQ3NnVA382txzt6

You can also contact Graeme on 0429 345 326 or by email at [email protected] for more information.

Mark your calendars! The Clunes Ceramic Award opens on Saturday the 1st of October ⚱️
Head to our website to see a list of finalists!
www.clunesceramicaward.com.au/clunes-ceramic-award/

Calling volunteers!

Would you like to help run the 2022 Clunes Ceramic Award? Register at https://forms.gle/upQQ3NnVA382txzt6

The organising committee is looking for keen volunteers to help us run the exhibition.

We are seeking people to fill two-hour shifts Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays 10.30am–4.30pm through the exhibition, Saturday 1st to Sunday 23rd October. You will set up and maintain a pleasant experience by greeting visitors, briefing them on the exhibition and the awards, and handling sales of works. Training will be given prior to your first shift.

We are also seeking a few people to help on opening night (Saturday 1st October).

We will also be hosting a pop-up stall in front of the Clunes Greener Grocer (46 Fraser Street) from 9am to 12pm this Saturday 10th September and Sunday 11th September for anyone interested to ask questions and to sign up. If you can't meet us at those times, please contact Graeme on 0429 345 326 or by email at [email protected] for more information.

Please consider contributing your time to mark the successful return of the prestigious Clunes Ceramic Award!

Due to our decision to honour 2021 entrants who decided to carry over their work to 2022, release of our shortlist has been delayed.

The shortlist will be announced on the 29th August. All who have entered, even those who are unsuccessful in making the shortlist, will be notified by email.

Apologies to any who have been impacted by the delay. This adjusted timeline is now reflected on our website.

Clunes Ceramic Award, 2022 – Clunes Ceramic Award Clunes Ceramic Award, 2022 We are delighted to announce that we are (re)-opening the Clunes Ceramics Award for 2022. The Clunes Ceramic Award is an initiative of Creative Clunes Inc. and is in partnership with the Art Gallery of Ballarat and the Castlemaine Art Gallery and Historical Museum. The Clu...

Frances Guerin - Swansong - 2019 ⚡
Artist Statement: A narrative of the ecological warrior evolved around this work as I sought to resolve the surface finish and balance of the figure. As a result, it survived multiple firings, and the swan was a means to stabilize the form. Swans are a mythological theme in art across many cultures in stories of transformation. The swan’s neck developed a crack during firing, and patching it with red onglaze was reminiscent of two things. The death of swans during the duck shooting season and the story of Prince Siddhartha saving a swan after it is shot by an archer. When the archer demands that Siddhartha return the swan, the king decides that ownership belongs to the person who nurtures the swan rather than the one who hunts it.
2022 Award Open: www.clunesceramicaward.com.au

CLOSING SOON - Fiona Hiscock Woodland, 2019 CCA finalist.
⚡ Artist Statement
In making ceramics, my primary intention is to call attention to the natural environment. The objects are loosely based on early Colonial water jugs and basins, referencing my personal history as a non indigenous Australian. The decoration is informed by research into the history of botanical illustration and many hours painting site specific plan specimens. The work attempts to convey my respect and reverence for the natural environment, cared for and protected over thousands of years by the First Australians.

Daniel Lafferty Boulder by Fire, 2019.
⚡Artist's Statement

I have been a practicing professional craft person for more than 35 years, originally studying a Diploma Visual Art at the Canberra School of Art.

I enjoy working in my natural environment and utilising what it can provide.

In the Bega Valley, I have access to a wealth of raw materials such as clay and glaze materials, black wattle wood ash, feldspar and pyrophelite. I use a combination of clay, stone, wood, fire and ash to enrich and decorate my thrown forms. I guess the appeal is in the endless variations of the natural ash glazes that capture the essence of the clay body and the firing process. I specialise in exhibition and functional wares that are Korean inspired.

In 1990 Daniel Lafferty a wood fire specialist established Bandicoot Pottery in Cobargo with 2 large wood kilns, an anagama and trolley kiln.

ONE MONTH TO GO! Entries close on the 6th of Aug so head to the website now to enter. $45 entry fee for a chance to take home 10K - plus the prestige of first place at the Clunes Ceramic Award 😉
Finalist Barry Jackson entered this beautiful work titled 'Dead Lake' in 2019.
www.clunesceramicaward.com.au

Beck Davies, a Ballarat ceramic artist, has a passion for making vibrant ceramic homewares. Beck came to ceramics later in life, enrolling in a short course, hoping that it would be a useful tool in assisting her to heal from trauma. Having a positive effect, she went on to complete a Visual Arts Degree and Graduate Diploma in Ceramics at Federation University Australia.
Head over to www.beckdaviesceramics.com.au for more information about Beck's work.
📷 Double-Walled Mugs by Beck Davies (2019 CCA)

Annette Bukovinsky is an artist represented by Stanley Street Gallery (Sydney) and she entered 'Transplant' into the 2019 Clunes Ceramics Award. We get entries from across the state of Victoria, nationally and internationally from all career stages of artists. If you are emerging and want the experience of submitting into prestigious awards, then look no further. Entries are open and we welcome work from emerging and established artists alike. Visit our website for more details https://www.clunesceramicaward.com.au/

Loving the shadows dancing on the wall from this piece by Annette Allman called Bleached Iteration. Annette entered this into our 2019 awards. What are you going to enter this year? Entries close August 6th. Head to our website for the entry form. https://www.clunesceramicaward.com.au/

Learn more about Annette at www.annetteallman.com

We know it was hard to get your hands on good quality clay during the lockdowns but hopefully you were able to fire some beautiful pieces since then. Love this work from our 2019 entries.
"This work is a playful approach to the concept of texture and the sensory experiences with clay, particularly functional ware."
By Anabelle Stonehouse, ’Tactile’, October 2018, stoneware, 13cm h x 10.4cm d x 11.2cm w approximate.
Learn more at www.anabellestonehouse.com

Clunes Ceramic Award updated their website address.