Book review: Amber Creswell Bell’s beautiful new book Clay: Contemporary Ceramic Artisans celebrates the artists, the making and the resurging appreciation for ceramics and learning to work with clay.

It’s no secret how much we at the Australian Design Centre love ceramics. Potters and their work have featured in ADC exhibitions for many, many years. Earlier this year we presented the hugely popular Clay Intersections exhibition and Makers Market. The support, energy, interest and love of ceramics amongst makers, collectors, buyers and general audiences was amazing to see.

Amber Creswell Bell’s beautiful new book Clay: Contemporary Ceramic Artisans celebrates the artists, the making and the resurging appreciation for ceramics and learning to work with clay. Personal stories and beautiful photographs make Clay a delight to read, flip through and learn more about the 53 Australian and International artists and their love of the artform. There’s an interesting selection of artists from the highly experienced and awarded to the new and up and coming makers but what unites them is their love of clay and hand making. Many of the Australian artists included in the book we have had the pleasure of working with this year (Alison Fraser, Holly Macdonald, Milly Dent, Tania Rolland, Tara Burke and Ulrica Trulsson).

I particularly enjoyed reading the interview with Lynda Draper, Head of Ceramics at National Art School. Lynda’s reflections resonate strongly: ‘Follow you heart and trust your instincts, open your mind to endless possibilities. Learn from your mistakes and disappointments. Don’t always expect success and acceptance of your work. Mentor and be generous to others. Regardless, keep making and when things go wrong, play, take a risk, let go and the outcome may surprise you.’

We have a great range of ceramics in our new retail venture Object Shop and if you want to know more about where to buy, learn or see ceramics check out the mud map we created to accompany our Clay Intersections exhibition earlier this year. Another fantastic way to keep up with what is going on in the ceramics scene is to subscribe to the Australian Journal of Ceramics published by the Australian Ceramics Association.


Title Clay: Contemporary Ceramic Artisans
ISBN 9780500500729
Price $60
Published by Thames & Hudson
Publication date: October 2016
Available at good bookstores

Image: Clay book cover, photo credit: Luisa Brimble

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