Canberra gums inspire Pottery debut at Goodwin Village Ainslie
Goodwin resident Carol Kenchington held her debut solo pottery exhibition in her Goodwin Village Ainslie villa Friday 18 June.
The exhibition was opened by Erik Boddeus, Executive Manager Retirement Living (pictured above with Carol Kenchington).
Inspired by the beauty found in Australian landscapes, Carol’s art explores light, colour and textures found in gum barks, rocks and corals.
‘When I moved to Canberra from Queensland, I fell in love with the barks on the local gum trees’, says Carol while showing us her tile collection inspired by Canberra’s gum trees. ‘The bark is so colourful and changes throughout the season.’
Carol’s love for Canberra’s gum trees started her passion for clay in 1998. When she moved to Goodwin Village Ainslie last year she set up a pottery studio in her garage.
She uses a technique called Nerikomi, which means hand-building with coloured clay. Her pottery collection reflects nature with its vibrant colours and beautiful textures. There is an element of surprise with her work, just like pottery itself.
‘I love the surprise with pottery. You can never predict what it will look like when you make it. When I make pottery, I often work through three editions before I’m happy.’
On a big round table Carol’s Terra Australis is on display.
Terra Australis is a set of 8 yunomi (a Japanese teacup that is taller than wide), one for each state and territory. The teacups are inspired by a rock formation unique to each state and territory. Some represent a closeup view of a rock surface while others show the sweep of a distinctive landscape. Carol worked from photographs she had taken from her travels over the years, as well as images supplied by her family.
In Carol’s living room is a beautiful ceramic coral display inspired by her other passion, snorkeling.
‘I adore coral reefs and I have enjoyed snorkeling in Queensland and Indonesian waters. From a distance the corals look dead, but when you come closer you can see the life and all the small animals’, explains Carol, who says it took one year to create the corals.
Carol is also a coffee lover and to enhance her enjoyment of a perfectly brewed coffee she made her colourful and perfectly sized Yunomi range. The cups are perfect to savour the flavour of a fresh shot of coffee with a little bit of milk and the ceramic keeps the heat in. The cups are all unique with different textures and colour patterns. ‘The inspiration for the coffee cups also comes from nature as well as colours and textures that I see and like’, explains Carol enthusiastically.
Carol creates her work in the garage of her retirement living villa.
Carol said she was delighted with the response from the community. ‘It went wonderfully, and people were very supportive’.
‘My exhibition has given me new energy and enthusiasm to start creating pottery again. I have created some garden pots and would like to start back with creating more coral plates.’
Goodwin Village Ainslie resident Geraldine O’Brien was impressed by the vibrant pottery that was on display. ‘It’s extraordinary and beautiful. It reflects the countryside. She is very clever’.
Carol’s work will soon be available for purchase on her website: www.galbuceramics.com
You can follow Carol on Instagram @Carol Kenchington