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Pinky & Maurice

Contemporary Ceramics

December 2, 2016 by Claire Atkins 6 Comments

Call me an Amateur!

The American painter Chuck Close, said, ‘inspiration is for amateurs’.

Famously, he’s never had artist’s block, because he simply trusts in the creative process. His advice for artists is to show up and start, and see where the process leads you.

We should draw comfort from this, we don’t need to feel inspired, or be in the mood to create. Art making is not a sacred activity, in fact every mark we make is a departure point, and every face, object, thought, or dream is ripe subject matter.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: blog post Tagged With: amateurs, australian ceramics, Chuck Close, Claire Atkins, creativity, curiosity, inspiration, Maya Angelou, Pinky & Maurice, Shaun Tan, travel, workshops

April 22, 2016 by Claire Atkins Leave a Comment

Part II – Mai kumhari hu : I am a potter

For ten days in February 2016 I travelled through India to meet traditional Rajasthani potters with a small group of clay enthusiasts led by Australian potter Sandra Bowkett.

At the end of our tour, on the Yamana River between the Holy City Vrindavan and Delhi, Sandra asked me if I missed anything back home. Her words, and the adventure she led us on inspired the short story below.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: blog post Tagged With: Ceramics, Claire Atkins, crosshatched123, Delhi, I am a potter, India, inspiration, Mai kumhari hu, pinky and maurice, potter, pottery, Rajasthan, Sandra Bowkett, story, travel

March 14, 2016 by Claire Atkins 8 Comments

Mai kumhari hu : I am a potter

My story begins at the end of my tale as I’m settling into my seat on flight SQ403 from Delhi to Singapore.

It’s almost 10pm at night and the plane is packed, but for the first time in over two weeks of travel through Rajasthan with a group of potters, I feel like I’m on my own.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: blog post Tagged With: creativity, crosshatched123, Delhi, I am a potter, India, inspiration, Mai kumhari hu, matka, Old Delhi, pinky and maurice, pots, potter, pottery, Rajasthan, story, travel

November 19, 2015 by Claire Atkins Leave a Comment

All Fired Up!

I’m all fired up about the inspiring schedule Hillary Kane has created for the culinary clay workshop, ‘Food Meets Plate’, happening May 15 – 28 at Gaya Ceramic Art Centre, in Bali!

Places have been quickly snapped up by a diverse group of foodies and clay enthusiasts from around the globe. There is ONE place remaining in this workshop.

If you would like to join us, click here for workshop fees and secure your place. [Read more…]

Filed Under: blog post Tagged With: 14 days, Bali, Ceramics, Claire Atkins, creativity, Food Meets Plate, Gaya, Gaya Ceramic Art Centre, HIllary Kane, pinky and maurice, pottery, travel, workshop

October 13, 2015 by Claire Atkins 2 Comments

Island Idyll

For centuries, islands have captured our imaginations, they are magical places inhabited by mermaids, pirates, fairies, and more recently – much to the delight of my two sons – they are the petri dish of mad geneticists and their dinosaurs!

For many years, I lived on an island north of Sydney. Island living is every bit as idyllic as you imagine. However, I discovered that it was not just the physical beauty of the island that inspired me, but equally it was the challenges we each faced, that inspired creative thinking and helped shape a diverse, vibrant, and resilient community.

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Today’s post is the final in my Bali series, and I’m talking to Janet DeNeefe, long time islander, internationally renowned restaurateur, writer, festival director and, one time student of ceramics 😉  [Read more…]

Filed Under: blog post Tagged With: Bali, Ceramics, chef, cook, creativity, cuisine, Food Festival, Food Meets Plate, Gaya Ceramic Arts Centre, island, island living, Janet De Neefe, pinky and maurice, pottery, travel, Ubud, workshop

September 29, 2015 by Claire Atkins Leave a Comment

An Art Villa in Ubud

I’m leading a group to Ubud in May 2016, for the clay-bending-mouth-watering workshop, ‘Food Meets Plate’ at Gaya Ceramic Art Centre.  This month we’re meeting some of the inspiring artists whose knowledge and vision will turn our time in Bali from a trip into a transformative experience. 

Last week I spoke to our workshop host Hillary Kane, and if you’re just joining us, catch up on our conversation Creative Callings.

This week we’re checking out the workshop accommodation, at the inspiring, art-filled guest house ‘Ubud ArtVilla‘, owned by Australian ceramic artist Bruce McWhinney.

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Ubud ArtVilla at night

Bruce McWhinney is an Australian artist with over 30 years experience in ceramics. Nature and travel have been the main inspiration for his work; be it wood fired ceramics, sculpture, painting or drawing. 

I met Bruce about 15 years ago when I was a student at Brookvale TAFE, where Bruce and a group of exceptional designers and potters were building a dynamic ceramics department on Sydney’s Northern Beaches. Brookvale TAFE continues to thrive, and while Bruce is as passionate as ever about Australian Arts education, his vision now incorporates a much wider classroom that includes building creative communities in other parts of the world…and Bruce is literally building them.

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Stunning garden design links sculptures and architecture throughout the villa

One such project is Ubud ArtVilla, a unique guesthouse in the quiet hamlet of Penestanan, just minutes from the bustling town of Ubud.

Here the concept is to infuse hospitality with Bruce’s long time love for Balinese arts and culture. In this place each day, guests soak up stunning architectural design, idyllic gardens, wood fired ceramics, paintings, drawings, and sculptures at every turn.

ArtVilla is managed and operated by Wayan Suparta and his family, who bring local knowledge and Balinese custom to every moment, enabling guests to discover the real traditions and culture of Bali during their stay. ArtVilla is the perfect place for anyone who is seeking to revitalise or woo their inner artist, and for two weeks in May 2016, Ubud ArtVilla will be home-sweet-home for ‘Food Meets Plate’ workshop participants.

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Ubud ArtVilla’s lap pool looks out to Mt Agung

Claire Atkins: Hi Bruce! I had the pleasure of staying at Ubud ArtVilla last year while I attended a workshop at Gaya. I have to say, that living with and using your woodfired ceramics every day was one of the best parts about staying at ArtVilla. Each morning, breakfast was served on stunning ceramic pieces that quietly called for our consideration. Do you think that living with handmade ceramics affects us?

Bruce McWhinney: Woodfired ceramics for me is the ultimate expression of working with clay and fire. The spontaneous effects coming from the fire on each piece is quite individual and embue the work with a human warmth that makes using it a daily joy. What I love most is that I never tire of the work and it keeps me captivated by the evidence of nature.

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Bruce McWhinney ceramics

Can you describe your design process, and is your approach different when you’re making ceramic pieces intended for food?

Making tableware is very much about understanding the function of each piece. One can only be a good functional potter if they use their work and learn what makes it a pleasure to use and live with. After decades of making ceramics, my forms have been pared right back to the simplest possible. This allows space for the fire to complete the piece and also gives a calm reassuring presence about them. Teapots must pour, cups must be easy to hold with a lip that feels good up against one’s mouth, and plates should provide a smooth finish. Having said that, while I strive to give the most, it often takes time to appreciate what is there in each piece. But so it is in life and art.

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Traditional ‘Bali kopi’ served in Bruce’s woodfired ceramics, is a daily ritual at Ubud ArtVilla

You divide your year working and living in Australia and Bali, with residencies throughout the world thrown in! How has travel, and living so intimately with the Balinese impacted your own art practice?

This is a big question. Bali has provided a cultural retreat where I can make work and share it with people from all around the world. My aim in building the ArtVilla was to create a place where people could experience living with hand made things and discover the joys of using wood-fired ceramics. Bali has taught me patience, detachment and to see the funny side of life. Things do not always go according to plan but the caring nature of the Balinese makes it all worthwhile. Travel is a passion but being able to work in different places makes it immensely more rewarding. When doing residencies one is privileged to experience life as an insider. I get to know people over a longer period, and hopefully share our different experiences of the world. Sightseeing is fun but it doesn’t sustain me in the same way.

Bruce_McWhinney_Studio

Bruce in the studio

What do you hope your guests will experience at Ubud Art Villa? 

What I would hope for is that people coming to ArtVilla would experience Bali from the inside. Connecting to the culture and traditions of Bali is made easy through Wayan and his family who staff ArtVilla. Combine that with the joy of making pots at Gaya, and discovering the local food and gastronomy would be a great thing. But, staying at ArtVilla would also mean extending the experience by using, learning about, and living with woodfired ceramics every day.

Thank you so much for joining us Bruce.

So, what do you think?! Will you join us? Visit the workshop page now for Early Bird fees, Ubud ArtVilla accommodation, and booking details. Private room options at ArtVilla and Art Manor are limited, so please don’t delay in contacting me to secure your place as bookings are rolling in!

Be sure to join me next week when I’m talking food and Bali with the indefatigable Janet De Neefe! Janet is the founder and Director of the Ubud Food Festival, the Ubud Writers and Readers Festival, she’s also an author, a mother of four children, aaaand the owner of some of Ubud’s best restaurants and bars! 

Filed Under: blog post Tagged With: architecture, artists retreat, Bali, Bruce McWhinney, Ceramics, creative, creativity, garden, Gaya Ceramic Arts Centre, potter, pottery, travel, Ubud, Ubud ArtVilla, woodfired, workshop

September 22, 2015 by Claire Atkins 2 Comments

Creative Callings

Many of us spend our days alone in a studio, and as much as we relish the solitude and energy of our own creative spaces, many artists, writers and thinkers have long felt the creative benefits of travel. Simply placing yourself in a new setting can be enough to give you a creative boost. Even neuroscientists examining our grey matter have concluded that new sounds, smells, language, tastes, sensations and sights, spark different synapses in the brain and have the potential to completely revitalize the mind.

Last year I was part of a wood-firing workshop at the Gaya Ceramics and Art Center in Ubud, Bali. For two weeks we immersed ourselves in Balinese culture and worked intensely to produce enough pots to fill a fire-breathing dragon, and the results were like nothing we had ever made before.

Gyan_Wall_and_Hillary_Kane_pack_Bali_Gama

Gyan Wall and Hillary Kane pack the ‘Baligama’ – our fire breathing dragon

Next year I’m off to Gaya again, but this time I’d like you to come with me. From 15-28 May, 2016, I’ll lead a small group of clay enthusiasts to be part of ‘Food Meets Plate’, a workshop that will inspire any clay-lover with an interest in the intimate relationship between food and the vessel. The two-week workshop will culminate in a feast of the senses at Ubud’s International Food Festival! Tempted? Yes, much? Read on!

First, let me introduce you to Hillary Kane, Director of Gaya Ceramics and Art Centre and our inspiring workshop host.

Hillary_Kane

Hillary Kane

Hillary Kane is a potter, painter, teacher, mother, and nomad. Travel and work has led her to claim residence in several continents and innumerable countries. Inevitably, the artistic culture of each has imparted an indelible influence upon her work and continues to be an endless source of inspiration. Educated in the United States and France, she now lives in Bali with her husband and her twin daughters.

Claire Atkins: Hillary, you have such a great personal story and you really pack it in, when I met you last year I thought, what the hell have I been doing with my time? Tell me, how did a young American woman come to live, launch and direct a thriving art centre in Bali?

Hillary Kane: Seven years ago, I took a leap of faith and headed off from a tiny mountain town in the American south-west to Japan to follow my aesthetic calling in Ceramics. At the time, I would never have imagined that it would lead to establishing the Gaya Ceramic Arts Centre (GCAC) and a life thoroughly settled in Bali. 

However, my airline ticket was very deliberately one-way. I was ready to welcome the signs and serendipities as they came, and I found myself departing Japan after two months, swollen with inspiration, yet venturing toward another opportunity and another culture altogether.  I set foot in Bali aiming to spend a year teaching, when unexpectedly another door opened at Gaya Ceramic and Design. From the moment I met the studio crew and the effusively generous Italian founders (both ceramic artists themselves), I knew the connection was a strong one.  Within a year, together we were dreaming up an educational branch of their already well-established production studio.  After a brief residency back in Japan, I returned again to Bali to build my first Anagama and to launch the arts centre.

The GCAC studio was built a couple of years after, and now, four years, five kilns, a Balinese husband, twin 3-year-old girls, a house and a thriving workshop later, it really feels the Gods of this island have led me here for a reason.

GAYA

Looking out to the garden from the Gaya studio

What happens at the Gaya Ceramics and Art Centre?

Gaya Ceramic comprises a large production studio employing around 70 people who produce exquisite ceramic ware for top clients the world over, and across the street is the Ceramic Arts Centre, which is dedicated to education in clay.  There is always a lot happening at Gaya, it’s a continual cross-pollination and collaboration. At the Arts Centre itself, we fill the year with two-week workshops, two-month artist residencies, exhibitions, and a variety of weekly and private classes tailored to community needs. Each year concludes with an Empty Bowls fundraiser and Open Studio event. In between all of this are the endless activities of our own staff (who, one and all, get their hands in clay!).

Interior_GAYA

Looking into Gaya Studio from the garden

Why should someone travel half way across the world to make a pot or fire a kiln?

At Gaya, we believe that setting is everything, and that for many artists, the opportunity to immerse themselves in a different world, even for only two weeks, encourages growth, self-reflection, and a willingness to take the next step in their own work. When an artist is encouraged by a master ceramicist and surrounded by similarly enthusiastic participants, a workshop is an incredible time and place for development.  Even for those not physically traveling so far to come here, Gaya studio stands as a sanctuary for transformation: earth into Art, self into Self.

Hillary_and_Student

Hillary and workshop student

Have you witnessed this kind of creative transformation and renewal at Gaya?

Catapulting one’s artistic self into an entirely new atmosphere foments intense creative inspiration. I see this throughout the year at Gaya especially with our resident artists. Three to four times per year, we host professional ceramic artists from around the world for a two-month residency program. There is no prerequisite of what each should make or spend their time doing. It has been an incredible experience to witness each resident take in, digest and respond to all the new stimuli of Bali. For some, inspiration taps from the intricacies of a cultural philosophy so different from their own, for others, from the visual explosion of a tropical ambient, some are more self-probing and introspective about identity and place in the world, others simply allow the remove from their familiar to generate great emotion, allowing it to well up and surface through their works.

One resident artist recently said: ‘It was as if I was just supposed to be here; one bit of visual information, one cue from the culture, one conversation just falling into place and leading me into the pieces I have created.’ Another was shocked at her proficiency, having come to Gaya with an intention to build rather abstract geometric forms, she gave in to an unexpectedly arisen urge to build figurative sculpture entirely dedicated to the pure emotion of parenting. It was the first extended journey she had ever made away from her early-teen children. For each, creating in this oasis of newness amounts to a unique, and utterly inspired experience.

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‘For some, inspiration taps from the intricacies of a cultural philosophy… for others, from the visual explosion of a tropical ambient…’ Photo Vicki Grima

Let’s talk about the upcoming workshop ‘Food Meets Plate’, what are your thoughts about the relationship between ceramics and food? 

This obvious stage of interaction is one that has endlessly offered inspiration to clay artists, and yet the question remains ever unanswered, ever re-interpretable. We have run this workshop theme twice as ‘Culinary Clay’ at Gaya – both times amazing, each time improving the experience upon the last. And what better theatre to ask clay artists to perform upon than one with the heady, aromatic, gorgeous and thoroughly tropical ambient of Indonesian cuisine?

What can participants expect from this workshop?

These two intense weeks will endeavor to inspire the contemplation of the intimate relationship between food and the vessel in which it is presented – in this specific setting upon the enriching and verdant Indonesian island of Bali and in the “foodie” paradise of Ubud.  We will have inimitable opportunities to meet with, learn from, and sample the genius of many local chefs who will unveil some of the cultural and gastronomic complexities of the archipelago, encouraging expansion not only of taste buds, but also conceptual perspective of the more formal design considerations of shape, texture, colour, and scale; where the food meets the plate.

In our final ‘Manifested Meal’ we will have at last a chance to display our inspired vessels in an exhibition/feast in one of Ubud’s fabulous new restaurant venues. Timed to coordinate with Ubud’s second annual Food Festival, our finale will be on display for the public to contemplate the fruit of our labors, and to feast their eyes upon the inspiration two weeks have manifested– though the participant group will privately enjoy the meal set upon their unique vessels!

Gaya_Ceramics_Bali_hands-on_wheel

Who should come, and will the workshop suit all skill levels?

This workshop is suitable for any level of experience in clay. While beginners may be focusing on honing their skills at throwing more traditional dinner ware, more advanced ceramicists may find this an ideal opportunity to break outside their own ‘box’ to experiment widely and discover something fantastically new.  This has worked to the advantage of all in the past – veteran clay artists inspiring for and inspired by those newer to clay alike. All participants will be encouraged to explore and will be supported technically, and otherwise by the Gaya studio team.

Claire_Atkins_Sue_McGuinn_Vicki_Grima

l to r : Claire Atkins aka Pinky & Maurice, Sue McGuinn and Vicki Grima, HOT AS HECK stoking team

What else can workshop participants look forward to while we’re in Bali?

This particular workshop will be packed with explorations of everything culinary – and in Ubud, Bali, that could last a lifetime – but we will also have the opportunity to peek into some of the intricate and fascinating local ceremonial and artisanal culture, Ubud’s endless boutiques and throbbing nightlife (for such a small town!).

Thank you so much for chatting with us today Hillary, I can’t wait to see you and the Gaya crew in May!

If you would like to join Hillary and me for this incredible workshop and cultural experience, head to the workshop page now for Early Bird fees and details about securing your place. If you need more convincing, visit the blog next week when I speak to Bruce McWhinney, celebrated Australian wood-firing artist and the creator of the inspired guest house ‘Ubud ArtVilla‘, our workshop accommodation.

Filed Under: blog post Tagged With: artist, Bali, Ceramics, Claire Atkins, clay, creativity, food, Gaya, Gaya Ceramics and Art Centre, HIllary Kane, potter, travel, Ubud, workshop

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Claire Atkins
I’m loving myself up something chronic today. Ju I’m loving myself up something chronic today. Just look at me go! And there’s good reason, because we’re gearing up for another series of SOLD OUT shows this weekend in Mullumbimby. There are still some tickets for March 26, 27 and 28, but once they’re gone, it’s all over red rover.  So, git your shit together my friends! Hit that little link in my profile for the hottest tix in Mullum town. 🖕🏽🖕🏽🖕🏽
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#australianplays @drillhalltheatrecompany #mullumbimby presents #SHIT
Photo: @kateholmesphotographer
💪🏼Note to self!💪🏼>>> Repost from desig 💪🏼Note to self!💪🏼>>> Repost from designer dude who does cool things with balloons quoting  @femalecollective #enough
Nothing’s gonna stop this parade. Sisters and br Nothing’s gonna stop this parade. Sisters and brothers get your umbrellas out and write it loud! We’ve had ENOUGH! Who’s coming with, Australia? #march4justice #march4women
It was an incredible opening for ‘SHIT’ last n It was an incredible opening for ‘SHIT’ last night, and we gave our best performance yet. We’re ready to blow your brains out again tonight and tomorrow, and there’s just a few tickets left. Link in my bio. Photo by our legend choreographer and photographer, Kate Holmes. We love you Kate! @kateholmesphotographer
It’s Opening Night! Drill Hall Theatre Mullumbi It’s Opening Night!

Drill Hall Theatre Mullumbimby presents
SHIT
by Patricia Cornelius
Directed by Liz Chance

‘Powerful…The best theatre you’ll see this year…’
(Mandy Nolan. Comedian and Author)

’It’s like nothing you’ve ever seen…’ 
(Ellen Briggs. Comedian)

‘A Triumph by three actors at the top of their game.’
(Tony Barry. Actor)

‘Provocative, evocative, packing a punch from the moment the three actors set foot upon the stage.’
(Marika Bryant. Australian Stage)

featuring 
Claire Atkins, Kate Foster and Kate Horsley

SOUND DESIGN
by Paul Pilsneniks @paul_pilsonic 

LIGHTING DESIGN
by Tone Wand

PRODUCTION DESIGN
Claire Atkins @pinkyandmaurice 

CHOREOGRAPHY & PHOTOGRAPHY
by Kate Holmes @kateholmesphotographer 

12-28 March, 2021
Drill Hall Theatre
4 Jubilee Ave, Mullumbimby
BOOK NOW
www.drillhalltheatre.org.au 
link in bio

VIDEO: @brettsixsixty
It’s Opening Night! Drill Hall Theatre Mullumbi It’s Opening Night!

Drill Hall Theatre Mullumbimby presents
SHIT
by Patricia Cornelius
Directed by Liz Chance

‘Powerful…The best theatre you’ll see this year…’
(Mandy Nolan. Comedian and Author)

’It’s like nothing you’ve ever seen…’ 
(Ellen Briggs. Comedian)

‘A Triumph by three actors at the top of their game.’
(Tony Barry. Actor)

‘Provocative, evocative, packing a punch from the moment the three actors set foot upon the stage.’
(Marika Bryant. Australian Stage)

featuring 
Claire Atkins, Kate Foster and Kate Horsley

SOUND DESIGN
by Paul Pilsneniks

LIGHTING DESIGN
by Tone Wand

PRODUCTION DESIGN
Claire Atkins

CHOREOGRAPHY & PHOTOGRAPHY
by Kate Holmes

12-28 March, 2021
Drill Hall Theatre
4 Jubilee Ave, Mullumbimby
BOOK NOW
www.drillhalltheatre.org.au 
link in bio

VIDEO: @brettsixsixty
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