Draft:Ceramic Arts Queensland

Ceramic Arts Queensland is a volunteer-run not-for-profit arts organisation with its membership is based in Queensland and northern New South Wales.

The organisation holds regular workshops, lectures, and exhibitions. They publish a fortnightly members' newsletter and a quarterly Bulletin magazine.

History
Ceramic Arts Queensland was founded as the Queensland Potters Association (QPA) in 1968 at St Mary’s Studio. Located in the basement of St Mary's Anglican Church, Kangaroo Point, St Mary's Studio was a site of significance in the development of Brisbane's emerging art scene, serving as a host to many art groups that have shaped the cultural landscape. The organisation utilised rented premises until, with the assistance of the Queensland Government, was able to secure permanent premises with the purchase of the Fortitude Valley Primitive Methodist Church in 1982. The Association refurbished the building and added a steel-framed mezzanine floor, designed by conservation architect Richard Allom. In 1983 it opened The Potters' Gallery on the premises. The lower floor was used to display and sell members' work and the mezzanine was used as a space for solo, or other special, exhibitions.

The church hall building, located behind the church, was used as a teaching space, offering classes and workshops for both beginners and advanced makers.

As the membership base of the organisation was expanded to include glassworkers, the organisation was renamed to Fusions: Australian Network of Clay and Glass Artists in 2003.

The church building was refurbished from 2005 to 2008 as part of a plan to establish an art-focused exhibition and retail complex. The project included a new gallery on the street level with the church building above it and was designed by Cox Rayner Architects. In October 2008 the new street-level gallery ‘Fusions’ was opened however, it proved not to be a commercial success. The gallery was closed in September 2010 and the building sold in 2014.

Following the sale of the church building the members reflected upon the direction of the organisation and in April 2014 rebranded as Ceramic Arts Queensland with the aim of reconnecting with the original aims and philosophy of the Queensland Potters Association.

Permanent Collection
The Permanent Collection was given initial impetus following the gift of a bowl by Harry Davis, presented to QPA in 1972. The collection comprises more than 200 pieces of work by Australian makers, including Joan Campbell, Gwyn Hanssen Pigott, Milton Moon, Owen Rye, and Carl McConnell.

An English-made china dinnerware set, decorated with an image of the Fortitude Valley Methodist Church, was given to the Queensland Potters' Association by the parishioners at the last service in the church before the building was handed over to them as the new owners. This set was added to the Permanent Collection.

The Collection was expanded in 2019 with the significant donation of a collection by Geoff Crispin, a ceramic maker, collector, and life member of Ceramic Arts Queensland.

Siliceous Award
The Siliceous Award for Ceramic Excellence is a biennial event.

The inaugural Siliceous Award for Ceramic Excellence was held in 2015. From the years 2015-2019 (inclusive) the Award was presented annually, with only CAQ members eligible to enter, and held in conjunction with the annual members’ exhibition at the Brisbane Institute of Art.

From 2021, the Award was made a biennial acquisitive prize, open to all Australian citizens and permanent residents, with the winning piece added to the Permanent Collection.

In 2023 the Award included the Gwyn Hanssen Pigott Wood Fired Ceramics Award presented by the Australian Wood Firers United.

Winners of the Siliceous Award

Siliceous #7 2023

Winner: Astrid Salomon Dark Fruit Highly Commended: Ruby Yeh Meditation on San Zi Jing, Simone Fraser Surfaced Tension II, Euan Craig Igusa Hidaskuki Tea Bowl, Jennifer Oh The Long Tether, Lauren Joffe Hold, Csongvay Blackwood Fold the Line, Version 7.

Gwyn Hanssen Pigott Wood Fired Ceramics Award, presented by Australian Wood Firers United: Ray Cavill The Fire and The Flood II

Judge: Dr Rebecca Coates

The 2023 Award was held at the Ipswich Community Gallery and included a community program of floor talks, guided tours, and a pop up studio for members of the public.

Siliceous #6 2021

Winner: Nicolette Johnson Nine Tendrils Highly Commended, sponsored by Walker Ceramics: John Tuckwell A Mind of its Own People’s Choice Award, sponsored by Qld Electrical Solutions: Paula Bowie A Bunya Dreaming x Trio of Jars.

Judge: Diana Warnes, Head of Curatorial Projects, Home of the Arts, Gold Coast

The 2021 Award was held at The Butter Factory Arts Centre in Cooroy.

Siliceous #5 2019

Winner: Tatsuya Tsutsui Pomegranate Highly Commended: Bill Powell Metallica, Maryke Miller Abstract Connection, Dianne Peach Optimist or Not – Challenging the Growth Myth, Lee Berryman Kaleidoscope II, Liz Sofield Stitch One, Coil One, Drop One, Phillip Johnson Daydreamer

Judge: Janet DeBoos

Siliceous #4 2018

Winner: Larissa Warren Subterranean Highly Commended: Anne Mossman Seams of Uncertainty, Bill Powell Arid Traces III, Mollie Bosworth Mystery Flight, Tatsuya Tsutsui Mizusachi, Angus McDiarmid Angophora Vase.

Judge: Glenn Cooke

Siliceous #3 2017

Winner: Mollie Bosworth Letting Go Highly Commended: Bill Powell Galilee Depression, Tatsuya Tsutsui Lotus, Shannon Garson The Epic Flight of the Arctic Tern, Anne Mossman Nerikomi Bowl. Commended: Carol Forster A Walk by the Sea, Laura Phillips Baker’s Dozen

Judge: Greg Daly

Siliceous #2 2016

Winner: Rowley Drysdale Oceania #7 Highly Commended: Ann Mossman, Megan Puls, Kirstin Farr, Johanna DeMaine, Mollie Bosworth.

Judge: Ted Secombe

Siliceous #1 2015

Winner: Megan Puls Tidal – Ebbtide Series Highly Commended: Chantal and Corey Biever, Robyn Gill, Peter Biddulph

People’s Choice Award, sponsored by The Clay Shed: Bill Powell

Judge: Damon Moon

Ian Currie Memorial Lecture
Ian Currie was a potter and glaze researcher who studied and worked with clay and glazes for over 30 years in south-east Queensland. His systematic approach was the basis of his first course, offered to the Queensland Potters' Association (now CAQ) in 1979. In his book, Stoneware Glazes: A Systematic Approach, Ian Currie, Currie says, “I learned as much as any of my students .... I would like to express my gratitude to my many friends in QPA who contributed so much to the development of the course”.

The annual Ian Currie Memorial Lecture aims to foster continued work in the field of pottery glaze research by other leading ceramic artists. Previous presenters include: Mitsuo Shoji, Jeff Mincham, Stephen Bowers, Dennis Forshaw, Paul Davis and Jacqueline Clayton, Renton Bishopric, Greg Daly, and Dr Steve Harrison.

Other Notable Exhibitions
The exhibition Australian Ceramics '82 was held as part of the Commonwealth Festival, a concurrent program with the 1982 Commonwealth Games held in Brisbane. A selection of potters' work from each state was exhibited to showcase the best of current ceramic practice.

The Queensland Gift was held in April 1986. The aim was to promote ceramics for official and corporate gift-giving. The exhibition received funding from the Crafts Board of the Australia Council. Mr Peter McKechnie, State Minister for the Arts, opened the exhibition.

Cake & Candles, held from 2 March to 2 April 1994, was a group exhibition held to celebrate the 25th birthday of the Queensland Potters Association. It was held in the Fusions Gallery (formerly The Potters' Gallery), Fortitude Valley, Brisbane.

Ceramics Towards 2000: Queensland Regional Tour, 1988-1991 was curated by Helen Tainsh. The artists featured were Steven Carson, Peter Dwyer, Robyn Killin-McAuliffe, Crystelle McLaren, Julianne Russell, Marc Sauvage, Katrina Woodland.

Ceramica 2000: Hot clay, cool glass, held in October 2000, was a series of exhibitions, forums, and demonstrations. The galleries involved were Fusions Gallery, Queensland Art Gallery, Brisbane City Gallery (now the Museum of Brisbane), Fox Gallery, and Jan Murphy Gallery.

The exhibition Salute: A Salute to Australian Ceramics, curated by Janet Mansfield, was the opening exhibition at the Fusions Gallery in 2008. The participating artists were: Ros Auld, Robert Baron, Peter Battaglene, Sandra Black, Louise Boscacci, Judy Boydell, Barbara Campbell-Allen, Ray Cavill, Kwi-Rak Chuong, Kirsten Coelho, Len Cook, Don Court, Greg Crowe, Ian Currie, Greg Daly, Paul Davis, Janet DeBoos, Johanna DeMaine, Ian Dowling, Lynda Draper, Pippin Drysdale, Rowley Drysdale, Merran Esson, Fiona Fell, Simone Fraser, Kevin Grealy, Victor Greenaway, Malcolm Greenwood, Tatiana Gvozdetskaya, Gwyn Hanssen Pigott, Steve Harrison, Philip Hart, Robert Hinwood, Rhyl Hinwood, Grant Hodges, Ian Jones, Michael Keighery, Bronwyn Kemp, Jann Kesby, Won Seok Kim, Gudrun Klix, Sandy Lockwood, Sony Manning, Bernadette Mansfield, Janet Mansfield, Anita McIntyre, Moraig McKenna, Pip McManus, Susie McMeekin, Malina Monks, Damon Moon, Milton Moon, Jenny Mulcahy, Chester Nealie, Stephanie Outridge Field, Isaac Patmore, Dianne Peach, Peter Pilven, Michael Pugh, Megan Puls, Ben Richardson, Jane Robertson, Mel Robson, Tania Rollond, Arthur Rosser, Carol Rosser, Peter Rushforth, Owen Rye, Bernard Sahm, Bill Samuels, Jane Sawyer, Stewart Scrambler, Fleur Schell, Cher Shackleton, Mitsuo Shoji, Penny Smith, Vipoo Srivilasa, Michael Stephan, Prue Venables, Toni Warburton, Peter Thompson, Alan Watt, Gerry Wedd, Yuri Wiedenhofer, Graeme Wilkie, Steve Williams, Maureen Williams-Levy, Kirk Winter, John Fitz-Walter. The exhibition Influential Queensland Woodfirers: A Tribute Exhibition was held in 2017 at two locations: Holy Nativity Church Hall, Cooroy, and at the Metcalfe Gallery, Brisbane Institute of Art, Windsor. It included work by Arthur and Carol Rosser, Ian Currie, Kevin Grealy, Albert Verschuuren, Rick Wood, Steven Bishopric, Gwyn Hanssen Pigott, Len Cook, Peter Thompson, Phillip McConnell, Heaton Pittendreigh, Carl McConnell, and Milton Moon.