Botanicals Up Close
Botanicals Up Close was a joint exhibition between Lisa Stewart and Maria Shaw that explored botanicals through ceramics and illustration. It was exhibited 18th July - 28th August at The Peisley Street Gallery, Orange NSW.
Microscopic view:
This mini-series was inspired by Greg Daly, during a workshop I attended at Strathnairn Arts in Canberra. During his glaze workshop he introduced me to a new way of observing the world and my muses. He shared the idea of using view finders, a piece of paper with a silhouette of a shape cut out. Then enlarging the view seen on to ceramic form. I began using this as a mindfulness exercise. This is when my obsession with collecting leaves began. I then took it one step further and examined my collected treasure under a digital microscope. Here are 3 views of gum leaves through the microscope.
Microscopic View: Minty Smell, with Hints of Honey
A stoneware circle with soft underglaze close up of decaying leaf
2022
19.5cm diameter x 1.5cm deep
Microscopic View: Dried Specimen
A textured circle wall hanging from porcelain
2022
17cm diameter x 1.5cm deep
Microscopic View: Corroding Bush
A stoneware circle with soft underglaze close up of decaying leaf
2022
19.5cm diameter x 1.5cm deep
Monochrome local flora and Vessels:
I learnt ceramic illustrations from Mirra Whale using underglaze. I was interested in capturing the beauty of the botanic treasure I have found and been gifted. My botanical collection decorates my pottery studio. The gum leaves were collected locally during a walk around gosling creek. The Banksia I found while visiting my parents on the coast. The Peach Hakea branch was a gifted to me by Lisa during our time collaborating on this exhibition.
Vessels: Raw Monochrome
Stoneware vessel small with illustrated gum leaves and treated with liquid Quartz
2022
13cm diameter x 9.5cm high
Vessels: Preserved Beauty
A stoneware vessel large with illustrated gum leaves and treated with liquid Quartz
2022
14cm diameter x 12cm high
Monochrome Local Flora: Adorned in Natives
A stoneware circle with black and white illustration of gum leaves
2022
22cm diameter x 1.5cm deep
Monochrome Local Flora: A gift from Lisa
A stoneware circle with black and white illustration of Hakea Platysperma (Peach Hakea) branch
2022
22.5cm diameter x 1.5cm deep
Monochrome Local Flora: Coastal Study
A stoneware circle with black and white illustration of a coastal Banksia cone
2022
19.5cm diameter x 1.5cm deep
Discovered during a walk & Gosling creek eucalyptus and Platters:
Most days I walk my dog Ivy at Gosling Creek off leash dog park, which is lined with trees. Parts of the path I take are cloaked with fallen leaves. Through out the year the types and colours of the leaves vary, from striking reds into tones of yellow and greens. Using a mixture of underglaze and stain I have explored the colours of some of the leaves I have collected. Here are examples on enlarged leaves and platters.
Leaf Platters: Mottled Rainbow
A stoneware bowl large with single illustrated leaf and treated with liquid Quartz
2022
16cm diameter x 3.5cm high
Discovered During a walk
Large single porcelain leaf
2022
45cm high x 11cm wide x 3cm deep
Leaf Platters: Four Hearts of Nature
Stoneware bowl small with 4 heart shaped illustrated leaves and treated with liquid Quartz
2022
19.5cm diameter x 5.5cm high
Gosling Creek Eucalyptus
Large single porcelain leaf
2022
32cm high x 9cm wide x 3.5cm deep
Daily Walks (leaf chandeliers):
During my walks I often engage in a grounding exercise, naming 5 things I can see, hear and feel. It was during these groundings that I began noticing how the leaves hung across the path, how they move and how the light dapples through them. The mixture of solid greens and pops of deep reds become magical with the light behind. I wanted to emulate the sound of rustling leaves so I chose porcelain for its fine chinky quality.
Life spilling from the pod & Inspired by Levon Biss and Impressions in Clay:
The Book Hidden Beauty of Seeds & Fruits: The Botanical Photography of Levon Biss was an original inspiration point for this joint exhibition. Using hand building I replicated two seed pods in porcelain from the book paying particular attention to their textures. The pod texture led me to investigate the textures within the botanical world. I used bark and moss covered branch to stamp into the clay.
Porcelain World Tree (Ceiba Malvaceae) Seed Pod
2022
20cm long x 7cm wide x 5.5cm tall
Inspired by Levon Biss
Porcelain Yangua (Cybistax antisyphilitica Bignoniaceae) Seed Pod
2022
12cm wide x 20cm high x 2cm deep
Impressions in Clay: Bark Landscape
A textured circle wall hanging from porcelain
2022
17cm diameter x 1.5cm deep
Impressions in Clay: The Moss Roll
A textured circle wall hanging from porcelain
2022
18cm diameter x 1.5cm deep