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Pinky & Maurice

Contemporary Ceramics

September 10, 2016 by Claire Atkins Leave a Comment

Multiply Life by the Power of Two

The ‘Power of Two’ is one of my all time favourite songs by the Indigo Girls. My sister and I would sing it together when we were younger and fantasise about driving around the country in a Volkswagon campervan being singer songwriter rockstars.

It’s a love song, but I catch myself humming it whenever I’m working alongside another artist or working on a community arts project, and if you think about it, all creative projects are labours of love, so a love song is completely appropriate. Like many potters I usually work alone in the studio, and I’m used to it, but there’s nothing better than bouncing around creative ideas with kindred spirits and running with them in full flight together.

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Vicki Grima, editor of  The Journal of Australian Ceramics – my new partner in crime 😉

I’ve been involved in a number of collaborative projects lately, and most recently I worked on The Australian Ceramics Open Studios on The North Coast Mud Trail. It’s a great example of what we can achieve when we set aside our massive egos (let’s not fool ourselves!), pool our resources and talents, and work together. There’s no doubt about it, we’re steadily building a clay community here on the NSW north coast, and it’s exciting to watch it grow. You might like to read arts writer, Jane Denison’s beautiful story about The Mud Trail for Verandah Magazine here, because I can’t say it any better than she has already!

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30 potters shared a meal on the eve of the North Coast Mud Trail, to celebrate the community we’re creating together – on handmade plates of course!

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Fabulous Jenn Johnston, awesome Mud Trail Co-ordinator and artist Emma Walke –  two of my Mud Trail partners in crime

And coming up this week is the highly anticipated ‘Cup Collaboration’. It’s a massive project orchestrated by ceramic artist Adriana Christianson. The project has brought together 62 potters across the world to make cups together! Geeeeesus! I think my ideas are mad and ambitious, but Adriana’s ideas are certified CRAY CRAY! And THANK. GOD. FOR. ADRIANA. It’s precisely this sort of creative ‘craziness’ the world needs to make it liveable. She has been our a clay matchmaker, pairing us with potters that we might never have dared make pots with. If you’re in Melbourne, don’t miss the show! The 2016 Cup Collaboration is open from 12-18 September at The Box Hill Art Centre. Check out the collaborations online here. 

American artist Ayumi Horie, my cup collaborating partner in crime

American artist Ayumi Horie, my cup collaborating partner in crime

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During our cup collaboration, two unlikely friends…

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…happened across each other’s path. Who knows what a raccoon from Maine and a wallaby from Byron Bay might be capable of together!

As I’m writing this, my kiln ‘Woody’ is cooling and I’m willing him to cool faster. As always, I’m full of anticipation to see the results, because inside are hundreds of tiny porcelain plates. However, this kiln load is extra special because the plates I’ve made are singing the supporting line, for on every surface are sweet melodies laid down by the loaded brushes of children, mums and dads, and artists who visited the studio during the Mud Trail to make their mark on clay. Our collaborations will be on exhibition from 24 September – 1 October in the Fantastic Flying Saucer Show at SugarMill Studios in Murwillumbah.

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The future of Australian ceramics is in good hands by the looks!

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Collaborations aren’t always plain sailing of course! Conflicts will and do occur, and I’m the first to admit that collaborations have blown up painfully in my own face. Things don’t always go to plan; my sister and I never did become rockstars, and our first car was a second hand Toyota Camry! Despite all the things that don’t go our way when we come together in Art and love, the Indigo Girls taught me a good lesson; making rich harmonies with other humans (even if the shit hits the fan) is infinitely better than sticking to your old tired tune alone.

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And sometimes the gods can’t help but smile on every aspect of your creative projects. Good luck with all your creative collaborations. Blessings from our family of potters in Ubud this year

——–

About some of the people in this post

The Indigo Girls are Emily Saliers and Amy Ray : listen to The Power of Two on youtube here : www.indigogirls.com

Vicki Grima is a ceramic artist, editor of The Journal of Australian Ceramics and executive officer of The Australian Ceramics Association: www.vickigrima.com.au : www.australianceramics.com

Adriana Christianson is a Melbourne ceramic artist, curator and creative director: www.adrianachristianson.com.au  www.thecupcollaboration.bigcartel.com

Ayumi Horie is an award winning ceramic artist, and social activist based in Portland, Maine. She is also the creative director of the world renowned online community Pots in Action : www.ayumihorie.com Most recently she has launched The Democratic Cup, a collaborative project between potters and illustrators to counteract the hateful rhetoric of the 2016 U.S Presidential Election: www.thedemocraticcup.com

The Cup Collaboration opens Monday 12 September and runs until 18 September at The Box Hill Art Centre, 470 Station St, Box Hill, VIC.

The Fantastic Flying Saucer Show opens Saturday 24 September at 3pm and runs until 1 October, at Sugar Mill Studios, Shop 4, 15 Commercial Rd, Murwillumbah

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Filed Under: blog post Tagged With: adriana christianson, australian ceramics, Ayumi Horie, Ceramics, Claire Atkins, collaboration, Flying Saucer Show, Indigo Girls, North Coast Mud Trail, Pinky & Maurice, potter, pottery, power of two, Sugarmill Studio, the cup collaboration, Vicki Grima

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Claire Atkins
We have been overwhelmed by the support and genero We have been overwhelmed by the support and generosity of our community to install the controversial signage for our play ‘SHIT’ on their lawns and front fences! Thank you! Thank you!❤️❤️❤️ #oceanshores #makethatshitpop #privatelawns #publicparks #SHIT #australianplays
Last week Byron Council caved under media pressure Last week Byron Council caved under media pressure and released promotional signs for our play they had impounded. However, unlike every other event in Byron Shire we’re not permitted to install signage for this multi award-winning Australian play along public road reserves. 
Our play, with its provocative title, is about three women who have grown up in Australia’s broken foster care system. Their story is hard to hear, but don’t silence it, these three women and thousands like them have been silenced their entire lives. We’re permitted to display event signage from private residences or businesses. Please get in touch if you live or work along a main road in Byron Shire and would like to sponsor a SHIT sign.
Our SHIT has hit a community nerve and promotional Our SHIT has hit a community nerve and promotional signage for our play has been impounded by council following complaints. Come see what all the fuss is about at The Drill Hall Theatre in Mullumbimby, 12-28 March. EVENT TIX in my profile link.
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#SHIT  #shock #gasp #theylikeustobeladylike #australianplays #australiantheatre
‘Out of control girls, angry girls, nasty girls ‘Out of control girls, angry girls, nasty girls are a sight to behold. They’re terrifying, electrifying, they’re everything girls shouldn’t be, and we hate them. This is a play about three such girls, Billy, Bobby and Sam. And you’ll never forget them’
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We’re in rehearsal, deep diving into Patricia Cornelius’s brilliant and brutal writing to perform in her electrifying play SHIT. Playing by public demand from 12-28 March at The Drill Hall Theatre in Mullumbimby, and reimagined by a stunning creative team, under the direction of legend Liz Chance. We sold out quickly last time, so hop on it. Event tix up there in my link tree.
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#australianplays #australiantheatre #patriciacornelius #SHIT #mullumbimby #drillhalltheatre #byronbay #actor
I’ve been lucky to work on some exciting new TV I’ve been lucky to work on some exciting new TV series this year. And as much as I love acting, I love working behind the camera too. I was so happy to climb aboard this project as Art Director. COURTESY BUS is a piss-your-pants-funny Australian comedy written by Brett Stephens @brettsixsixty, starring @mandy.nolan, Nell Schofield @nellyvision, Tony Barry, @ellensbriggs, @andysaunderscomedy, Liam Olsen and @jen.kyna. Each episode begins at the end of the night, and tells the hilarious and heartfelt stories of a riotous cast on their wayward journey home. Coming soon! 

#courtesybus #aussiecomedy #bangalow #bangalowbowlo #comingsoon #pissyourpants
When a woman swears, or spits, or screams, or shou When a woman swears, or spits, or screams, or shouts, or laughs too loudly, or fights, really fights, or fucks too much and wears too much lipstick or none at all, all we want to do is lock her up or cross the street. Out-of-control women are a sight to behold. They’re terrifying, electrifying, and everything that women shouldn't be - or so we're told. This is a story about these women. Their names are Billy, Bobby and Sam, and you will never forget them.
 
After a sell-out first season, Patricia Cornelius's multi-award-winning play SHIT returns to the Mullumbimby Drill Hall Theatre by public demand on 12-28 March 2021. Starring Claire Atkins, Kate Foster and Kate Horsley. Reimagined and directed by Liz Chance, with sound design by Paul Pilsneniks and choreography by Kate Holmes. 

Tickets: $27/$24/$20 Enquiries 0420986570 
EVENT TICKETS in the link. This will sell-out. Book now.

#australianplays #patriciacornelius #SHIT
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