Articles Fine Art Gallery - 32nd Anniversary Exhibition

I am very pleased to have been asked by Frances and John Vander of 'Articles Fine Arts Gallery' at Stanwell Park NSW to exhibit a series of my Raku fired pieces for their 32nd Anniversary Exhibition to be held on Saturday 3 March 2012.

I introduced myself to John at his gallery some weeks ago and explained what I do. He asked me to bring along some work to show him. Fortunately for me, he was pleased with my work and I am very proud to be apart of the show in March. Stanwell Park is only a half an hour drive from my home in Appin, so looking forward to a good business relationship with John and Frances in the future.

The series of work in the exhibition is called 'Sea Shells' and as you can tell by the name, the body of work is based on my love for nature and the sea. I love to wander along the beach and find little treasures as inspiration for my work.  The textures and colours of the rocks, sand, rockpools, seaweed and shells and I find beautiful and Raku firing my ceramics accentuates and compliments the pieces I make giving them a natural and earthy feel. 

Below are a some examples of my work that will be in the exhibition. There will be a number of well known  artists (unlike myself) featuring their work in March. If you have the opportunity, go along to see what is on offer. The program is also below for your information. There will be entertainment and refreshments. The coastal drive to Articles Gallery at Stanwell Park is very scenic and enjoyable. Don't hesitate to contact John or Frances on 02 4294 2491 for more information. Make a day of it.

Garden Flower Sculpture

Had a short break from pottery over the Christmas holidays but back in full swing again and working on a few different things. I have made a few pieces which I intend to Raku Fire in a short while. I have always loved plants and gardening. I particularty love Australian native plants and the diverse flowers and seed pods mother nature provides for our visual pleasure.  I have at differant times, made pots and sculptural pieces that are in some way a reflection of things like seed pods from nature. Working on another Banksia Seed sculptural piece at the moment which I plan to pit fire to reflect the way a bush fire might affect a tree in the bush. Other seed pods in mind too, so keep posted for more updates and photos. Plan to make a series and call it "Seed Pods from Nature'. Also, my love old oil cans has inspired me to make a series of 'Oil Can Relics'. Love the many different forms, spouts, handles which help create each personality. Just love how they look. As well as these, I am continuely looking at extending my Cone 6 glazes so have been mixing up a few more glazes to test, mostly for sculptural pieces. Looking at making some more funtional pieces too incorporating the wonderful textures available in my box of treasures that include handmade stamps, found objects from nature, old cogs, wheels and other man made objects and relics.

Here is the glazed result of one of the flower sculptures shown in an earlier post (unglazed). This particular piece was single fired and I am pretty happy with the result.

If you would like the recipe for the glaze used here, drop me an email and I would be happy to send it to you. 

Wedding Favours / Gifts

After making a run of Christmas Decorations recently (see my last post), I got thinking that these lovely little decorations would make beautiful Wedding Favours, Wedding Gifts or Bombonieres. During a short spell from pottery (no kiln etc), I remarried and I recall how much trouble I had to find a simple, yet personal and pretty gift to give our special friends and family to remember our day. I ended up buying little boxes, coloured paper, sugar coated almonds and made my own little boxes which although were nice, these would have been so much better. They would have looked so beautiful on the tables, placed on top of each plate/napkin and a lovely surprise and talking piece as our guests sat down at their places. They could be used to decorate in other ways too, so the possibilities are endless.

The templates for these shapes I make myself from an original drawing. I stamp each one with clay stamps that I have made myself, I use glazes that I have formulated myself, so each one of these little treasures is a little differant and very unique.

I am quite excited, as I have heaps of other ideas too, which means more glaze testing, drawing and playing with clay. More time out in the studio. How wonderful.

Butterfly Heart Wedding Favour

White Floral Wedding Favour

Raspberry Red Heart Wedding Favour

Various Birds & Peace Dove Wedding Favours

Christmas Decorations ready for Next Craft Market

I have been out in the studio making various things for the next markets, but have really enjoyed making these gorgeous little Christmas Decorations. These make wonderful, inexpensive gifts. I write on the back in gold or silver pen to really personalise them when giving them away as gifts.



Peace Dove - Christmas Decoration or Wedding Favour

Handmade and Glazed Red Heart - Christmas Decoration or Wedding Favour

My next craft market will be at the 'Picton Creative Traders Market' on Sunday 4th December 2011. For further info go to http://www.ctmw.com.au/

How They Are Made

• I draw and cut out my own templates for these shapes, then cut around the template for each piece
• I use my own hand made clay and plaster stamps for the impressed decoration
• I make my own glazes and hand paint each piece
• They are fired to 1200 deg centigrade to ensure that they are strong and durable
• I can personalise each piece on special request

Wedding Favours / Bomboniere

I am looking at also making these for Wedding Gifts, Wedding Guest Keepsakes or Wedding Bomboniere. The little hearts, peace doves, birds and wedding bells in particular would work really well and I have a load of other ideas too (keep posted). They would all look great used on top of a table napkin on the wedding tables and can be given to the guest as a lovely wedding keepsake, doubling also as a Christmas tree decoration, just something to hang in a window or from a tree in the garden after the wedding day. On the day of the wedding, they can be hung from branches in vases as table centre pieces, or from the Bridal Money Tree to really add a splash of colour and add as a unique decoration idea. I can also see these being used to hang from a tree in the garden where the wedding ceremony is to take place for added decoration and to add to the mood and theme of the wedding. I could make smaller versions of these as little charms for the bridal bouquet to continue the theme of the wedding. If you are interested in any of these ideas for your special occasion or have a general sales enquiry, please email me at janwallace.pottery@gmail.com



White Glazed Bird - Christmas Decoration or Wedding Favour



Holly - Christmas Decoration



Glazed Christmas Tree

Bell - Christmas Tree Decoration or Wedding Favour

Peace Dove in Gold - Christmas Tree Decoration or Wedding Favour

Blue Glazed Heart - Christmas Tree Decoration or Wedding Favour

Red Glazed Peace Dove - Christmas Decoration or Wedding Favour

Well, it's back to the studio for me as I have more decorations to glaze and fire. Hope you have enjoyed reading this post. Please feel free to comment below or send me an email as I would love to hear from you.

Thanks. Jan

Picton Creative Traders Markets This Sunday

I will be at 'Picton Creative Traders Market' this Sunday, 6th November 2011 from 9am to 2pm. Come along and enjoy what the markets have to offer. There are supposed to be over 50 stalls this month. With home grown and home made produce, arts and craft, food and entertainment. Christmas is only weeks away, so it is a great opportunity to find some wonderful unique, handmade gifts for the special people in your life. The markets are located at the Shire Hall, Menangle Street, Picton NSW. I look forward to seeing you there.

Here is some of my handmade work that will be available on Sunday. My prices start from $10 so there is something for everyones budget.

Flowers in our Garden...

We have alot of flowering plants in our garden at this time of year, which really cheer up the place and make the garden look so pretty. It led me to think... why not have some all year round. So, I have been experimenting the last few days with making some in clay.  In the pics below, you will see I have made one on a pedestral which can be a fruit bowl, candle holder etc for indoors or have outside as a water dish for the birds. The others I have made to sit on a steel rod/pole and they will also have a leaf made from clay which can be glued to the pole. I will glaze them colourfully and group together for a better impact. I will post the glazed results when they are completely finished.

Standing Sculptural Flower

Sculptural Flower for steel rod

My daughter 19 months old - Budding artist at work

Sculptural piece with impressed patterns using old cogs,
wheels, bolts etc. Rusty steel rods, barbed wire
and an old fence post used for a base.