Artist Statement: This month’s featured artist: Victoria Walker
My inspiration always comes from the images in nature I find that capture my imagination, whether it is a white mist of a morning, a serene smooth silk of azure sky and sea or an intricate rose petal pattern, it is these colours and textures that most speak to me.
One clay artist I always enjoy visiting, Louise Rive, has just received an award at the latest portage exhibition in Titirangi. Her fresh and fun treatment of colour, interesting portraiture and the illusionary concept of merging 2D to 3D in clay continues to fascinate me.
I find that claywork today incorporates a wide and diverse spectrum in ceramics. From the time that I first worked in a collaborative studio in Ponsonby, clay art is continuing that path to move rapidly forward with all aspects of clay working skills, firing and finishes. I feel that this break from tradition, and yet at times building upon the past, allow new exciting ways at looking at clay.
My art is always diverse; I don't embrace the idea that settling into a single pattern of working is the way to build a path of truly creative expression. I enjoy the craft of clay as much as I do painting, photography or textiles. My experience over many years has meant I have widened these fields and tutoring has always driven me to keep learning more.
My aim is to delight, amuse and provoke individual interpretations of whatever my artwork may have to offer to you. On one hand they could be playful sculptures with interesting applications to surface finishes. But if you want to peel back another visual layer, my clay animals for example (see above image), in their seemingly human transition, may ask questions. What might they be thinking of our world? Given the opportunity, how might they treat us? The answers are left up to you as there are many ways to see or speak through clay. Clay asks to be picked up, rearranged and placed creativity wherever inspiration takes it.
The Sculpture Onshore outdoor exhibition in Narrow neck, Devonport, is a must see. It donates to the Women's refuge and represents some very good New Zealand artists. Recently Hannah Kidd's snarling tiger asks questions and 6000 plastic lunch boxes, destined to school kids in need, adorned trees with a blaze of colour. Set on the dazzling North Shore coastline, it is a day out full of delight and inspiration.
In my opinion good art is when a piece does not need many words to convey thoughts, feelings, responses or admiration. It stands up for itself and has a presence that explains all you may want from art.
For me Kumeu Arts Centre has a special feel. It is creative, supportive and open to let art work develop and grow. It's not about limitations, but more a space to build and showcase artists in the community. Kumeu Arts Centre would continue to benefit from more of their very friendly staff and art facilities, as I am sure it will become more cherished by the community.
My inspiration always comes from the images in nature I find that capture my imagination, whether it is a white mist of a morning, a serene smooth silk of azure sky and sea or an intricate rose petal pattern, it is these colours and textures that most speak to me.
One clay artist I always enjoy visiting, Louise Rive, has just received an award at the latest portage exhibition in Titirangi. Her fresh and fun treatment of colour, interesting portraiture and the illusionary concept of merging 2D to 3D in clay continues to fascinate me.
I find that claywork today incorporates a wide and diverse spectrum in ceramics. From the time that I first worked in a collaborative studio in Ponsonby, clay art is continuing that path to move rapidly forward with all aspects of clay working skills, firing and finishes. I feel that this break from tradition, and yet at times building upon the past, allow new exciting ways at looking at clay.
My art is always diverse; I don't embrace the idea that settling into a single pattern of working is the way to build a path of truly creative expression. I enjoy the craft of clay as much as I do painting, photography or textiles. My experience over many years has meant I have widened these fields and tutoring has always driven me to keep learning more.
My aim is to delight, amuse and provoke individual interpretations of whatever my artwork may have to offer to you. On one hand they could be playful sculptures with interesting applications to surface finishes. But if you want to peel back another visual layer, my clay animals for example (see above image), in their seemingly human transition, may ask questions. What might they be thinking of our world? Given the opportunity, how might they treat us? The answers are left up to you as there are many ways to see or speak through clay. Clay asks to be picked up, rearranged and placed creativity wherever inspiration takes it.
The Sculpture Onshore outdoor exhibition in Narrow neck, Devonport, is a must see. It donates to the Women's refuge and represents some very good New Zealand artists. Recently Hannah Kidd's snarling tiger asks questions and 6000 plastic lunch boxes, destined to school kids in need, adorned trees with a blaze of colour. Set on the dazzling North Shore coastline, it is a day out full of delight and inspiration.
In my opinion good art is when a piece does not need many words to convey thoughts, feelings, responses or admiration. It stands up for itself and has a presence that explains all you may want from art.
For me Kumeu Arts Centre has a special feel. It is creative, supportive and open to let art work develop and grow. It's not about limitations, but more a space to build and showcase artists in the community. Kumeu Arts Centre would continue to benefit from more of their very friendly staff and art facilities, as I am sure it will become more cherished by the community.