Phone:                 0435 482 579

e-mail:                 prueven@gmail.com

 

The procedures and intelligence of making hold my attention.

I delight in the relationships that spring and develop between objects as they stand together like elements of musical harmony. From the shadows that form between them to the implied movements across spaces, they dance.

An exploration of technical invention with origins in both studio and industrial spheres has resulted in handles fired separately, suspended, to be joined later. Such components extend formal and material possibilities and enliven my understanding of the porcelain I thought I knew so well. Objects now emerge, to challenge and enable fresh rhythms, different energies and spatial interactions. A final deceptive simplicity emerges.

 

“This work so artfully combines stillness and a sense of risk, of fragility. Sometimes it is a single object – a pierced ladle with a precariously long stem, perhaps, or a scoop with an elegant, daring, ribbon-like handle, that surprises and then calms, Then there are those seemingly arbitrary couplings or slightly perverse groupings that quietly and insistently demand a shift in our perception.                                                              Indeed they all were once, in the making process, exceedingly fragile; needing, before and during both bisque and high temperature reduction firing, to be propped up or supported upside down and fired on porcelain trays or setters: carefully, patiently, slowly, surely, crafted. But now, strong, dense, confident, beautiful – to be used, to be held.

I hope you see these pots when the sun is out. They quicken with light, The pale objects are softly luminous and translucent, while the dark aubergines and blacks glow satiny rich, their rims reflecting.”

Gwyn Hanssen Pigott, 2005

 

 

Education:

1995:                  MA, Fine Art – Ceramics, RMIT University, Melbourne

1988:                  Acset 1 – Teacher Training, London.

1981-1983:       Harrow Diploma of Studio Pottery, Harrow College of Art, London. Distinction.

1971-1974:       BSc (Hons) Zoology, Melbourne University.

 

Professional Studio Practice:    

2014 – present  Studio in Castlemaine, Australia

1989 – 2014      Studio in Melbourne

1985-1989        Gallery assistant, Contemporary Applied Arts, London

1986-1989        Studio in Stoke Newington, London.

1983-1986        Studio in Kings Cross, London

 

Selected books and digital publications:

The Pot Book, Edmund deWaal

The Harrow Connection;

Slips and Slipware, Anthony Phillips (Batsford) – featured artist;

Contemporary Porcelain, Peter Lane (Craftsman House).

Masters of Their Craft, Norris Ioannou (Craftsman House).

Design Sourcebook – Ceramics, Edmund de Waal (New Holland)

Functional Pottery Robin Hopper (Krause Pub.)

Shards Garth Clark on Ceramic Art

The Masters Porcelain

Video to accompany Freestyle exhibition

Freestyle book

Smartworks book

Awards:

2019

Finalist, Korean International Ceramic Biennale 2019

2018

Selected as Australian Design Centre “9th Living Treasure – Master of Australian Craft”

Australia Council Development Grant for ADC Touring Exhibition

2017

Finalist Officine Saffi, Milan, Italy

Finalist and Judges Commendation, STILL, Australian Still Life Award, Coffs Harbour

2016                   Australia Council Development Grant

Asialink residency, The Pottery Workshop, Jingdezhen

2015                   First Prize, Clunes Ceramic Award

Purchase Award, Manningham Ceramics Competition

Finalist, Victorian Craft Award, Melbourne

2014                   Six month residency at Dunmoochin, Melbourne

Finalist, Officine Saffi Project , Open to Art, Milan, Italy

2012                   Arts SA Residency award Jingdezhen, China

2011                   Australia Council Skills and Arts Development Grant

2009                   Arts Victoria grant to attend exhibitions in Taiwan and Denmark

2008                   Australia Council Grant New Work

2007                   Honourable Mention WOCEF, Korea

Elected member, International Academy of Ceramics

President Craft Victoria

2006                   Fellow Royal Society of Arts, UK

2004                   One month residency at Oribe Design Centre, Gifu, Japan to design a dinner set      for production by Yamai China Co. and Yamama China Co.

Grant from Object to act as mentor to Robyn Seale

  •    Australia Council Grant Development

Third Prize, Jan Ken Pon, World Design Competition, New York and Japan

2002                   Arts Victoria- Grant to attend exhibition at Nancy Margolis Gallery, New York

Craft Victoria- Grant to attend exhibition at Nancy Margolis Gallery, New York

Honourable Mention – International Ceramics Competition, Mino, Japan.

2001                   Hermanns Art Award – Second Prize

Australia Council Project Grant – New Work

Australia Council funding to attend Ceramics Millenium Conference in Amsterdam

1997                   Alice Craft Acquisition Award

Townsville Ceramics Acquisition

1996                   Australia Council – Project Grant

Arts Victoria Grant – Arts 21 International Export and Touring Program

1995:                  Bathurst Art Purchase Award.

Fletcher Challenge Ceramics Award – Premier Award.

Nillumbik Art Award

Honourable Mention – International Ceramics Competition, Mino, Japan.

15th National Craft Award, Northern Territory.

James Cook University Ceramics Award.

1994:                  Second Prize – Austceram Ceramic Art Award, Sydney.

Australia Council – Project Grant

1992:                  Two Honourable Mentions – International Ceramics Competition, Mino, Japan.

1989:                  First Prize – Cup competition – Arts and Crafts Society of Victoria.

1988:                  Crafts Council, UK – Photography Grant

1986:                  Product of the Show -Direct Design Show, London

1984-1985:       Crafts Council, UK – Grant to set up Pottery Studio and

Maintenance Allowance for one year.

1981-1983:       Professional Classes Aid Council Grant;

Windsor and Newton Art Prize

 

Selected Collections:

Museum of Fine Art, Houston, Texas

Art Gallery of Western Australia

Art Gallery of South Australia

Fuping Museum, China

Ballarat Fine Art Gallery

Bendigo Art Gallery

Castlemaine Fine Art Gallery

Newcastle Art Gallery

Hermanns Art Award Collection

Bathurst Art Gallery

Deakin University

Fletcher Challenge Collection

Nillumbik Shire Council

R.M.I.T. University

Shepparton Art Gallery

Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery

Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory

Powerhouse Museum, Sydney

James Cook University

Hamilton Art Gallery

National Gallery of Australia, Canberra

Queensland Art Gallery

Queensland University of Technology

Craft Council of the Northern Territory, Alice Springs Division

Perc Tucker Regional Gallery

University of Southern Queensland

National Gallery of Victoria

National Museum, Auckland, New Zealand

Plus many private collections in Australia, New Zealand, Europe, UK, USA, Canada, Japan.

 

Selected Solo Exhibitions:

2013                   Beaver Galleries, ACT

Jam Factory Contemporary Craft and design, SA

Special feature display, NGV Australia

2010                   Moss Green Gallery, Melbourne

2007                   Rex Irwin Fine Art, Sydney

2006                   Christine Abrahams Gallery

2005                   Rex Irwin Fine Art, Sydney

Galerie Besson, London

2003                   Christine Abrahams Gallery, Melbourne

2002                   Nancy Margolis Gallery, New York

2001                   Oxford Gallery, UK

Christine Abrahams Gallery

1999                   Christine Abrahams Gallery, Melbourne

Nancy Margolis Gallery, New York

Beaver Galleries, Canberra

Purple Space – Jam Factory, Adelaide

1998                   Masterworks Gallery, Auckland, New Zealand.

Alpha House Gallery, Dorset, UK.

1997                   Christine Abrahams Gallery, Melbourne.

1996                   Studio COM. Tachikichi Corporation, Kyoto, Japan.

Beaver Galleries, Canberra.

1995                   Craft Victoria.

1993:                  Jam Factory Gallery, Adelaide.

1984 – 1989      Nottingham Castle Museum, Nottingham.

Oriel 31 Gallery, Newtown, Powys.

Distelfink Gallery, Melbourne.

 

Selected Group Exhibitions and Galleries:

2018

Porcelain exhibition with Richard Spoehr at Stella Downer Fine Art, Sydney

2017

100 cups, National Museum of Xishuangbanna, Yunnan, China

STILL, Australian Still Life Award, Coffs Harbour Regional Gallery

Officine Saffi, Milan, Italy

Beaver Galleries, Canberra

Skepsi Gallery, Montsalvat

2016                   National Gallery of Australia, Canberra, ‘Dark Forms’

2015                   Marsden Woo Gallery, London

Clunes Award Exhibition

Rathdowne Galleries, Melbourne

Welcome to Table, Castlemaine Festival

Of National Significance, Sturt Craft Centre, Mittagong NSW

The Useful Set, Stephen McLachlan Gallery, Melbourne

Beaver Galleries, Canberra

Manningham Ceramics Competition

Victorian Craft Award

Olsen Irwin Gallery, Sydney

2014                   Melbourne Now, NGV

Moss Green, Melbourne Important Exhibiton of Australian Ceramics

Finalist, Officine Saffi Project , Open to Art, Milan, Italy

The Course of Objects, TACA, Manly Gallery, Sydney

‘Dometic Bliss’ – Deakin University

‘Quiet Conversations’ Skepsi – Montsalvat

2013                   Thrown, NGV Australia

On the Table: Still lives, Olsen Irwin, Sydney

Melbourne Now, NGV

Skepsi Gallery, Melbourne

White Heat – Porcelain Jewellery, Sydney

Porcelain, a measure of the material, Devon Guild, UK

BMG Art, Christmas Exhibition, SA

Jam Factory 40th anniversary touring exhibition

2012                   Emerging Form Exemplary Australian Ceramics- Skepsi Gallery, Melbourne; BMG art, Adelaide

Tradition and Innovation, 50 years of Harrow, Contemporary Applied     Arts, London

Then and Now, Whitehorse Arts Space, Melbourne

2011                   Finalist, Alcorso 2011 Ceramics Competition, Hobart.

International featured artist, Contemporary Applied Arts, London

Salt Port Festival, Adelaide

BMG Gallery Adelaide

Black and White Rex Irwin, Sydney

Museum of Fine Art, Houston,USA

Mint Museum, North Carolina, USA

2010                          Ting til Faeles, Ann Linnemann studio gallery, Copenhagen

Korero and Hui Hua Taiwan Ceramics Biennale, Yingge Ceramics Museum, Taiwan

Teawares, Jam Factory Gallery, Adelaide

The Collectors, Kjai Lieu, Adelaide

2009                   Pots for Light, Galerie Besson, London

Sustain Me: Contemporary Design, Ivan Dougherty Gallery, COFA          NSW.

Jingdezhen International Ceramic fair, China

Tablewares an international Collection, Rex Irwin Art Dealer (curated by Prue Venables and Gwyn Hanssen Pigott)

2008              Important drawings, prints and ceramics, Rex Irwin Art Dealer

Freestyle, Triennale di Milano, Italy

IAC Members, Fuping Museum, China

NGV Permanent collection

Porcelain, Jam Factory, Adelaide

Porcelain in contemporary Discourse, Shanghai, China

Gift of Rod Fyffe, Bendigo Art Gallery

  • Finalist, 4th World Ceramic Biennale 2007, Korea

Freestyle, Object, Sydney; Brisbane; Adelaide

Artistic Insights, Celebrating centenary of tertiary art education in Bal     larat.

Judaica, Jewish Museum, Melbourne

The Cup Show, All Hand Made, Sydney

The Jug Show, All Hand Made, Sydney

Smartworks, Design and the Handmade, Powerhouse Museum, Sydney

  • Collect, Victoria and Albert Museum, London

Freestyle, Melbourne Museum

Madonna del Rosario, Wollongong Art Gallery

Classic and Contemporary Ceramics, Galerie Besson, London

30th Anniversary Exhibition Rex Irwin Fine Art, Sydney

SOFA Chicago, with Galerie Besson

2005                   Table Manners Contemporary International Ceramics Crafts Council, London

Beaver Galleries – Three makers in Porcelain

Small is Beautiful Scottish Gallery, Edinburgh

Hobart Art Prize

100 Ringe – an exhibition of cast silver rings Craft Victoria

Ceramics 2005, Freeman Gallery, Hobart

2004                   践eresy: the secret language of materials Craft Victoria

Still Life, Anna Bibby Gallery, Auckland, NZ

FG3 Hobart, Tasmania

Still life still lives Rex Irwin Art Dealer, Sydney

Tactile Art Object Gallery, Sydney

Jan Ken Pon World Design Competition, Gifu City, Japan

  • Future Function, Manly Art Gallery, Sydney

World Ceramic Exhibition, Steninge Slott Castle, Sweden

‘Important Works on Paper and Important Ceramics Rex Irwin Fine Art, Sydney

Jan Ken Pon World Design Competition, New York

Reunion, the art of sixteen graduates, Melbourne University, George Paton Gallery

2002                   Ritual of Tea Jam Factory, Adelaide; Object Gallery, Sydney

Less is More Ceramics with a minimal aestheticPewabic Pottery, Detroit, USA

Brisbane City Gallery – ‘Less is More, Less is a Bore’

Beaver Galleries, Canberra

SOFA, Chicago

SOFA, New York

Rex Irwin Fine Art, Sydney

2001                   Sotheby’s, London Contemporary Decorative Arts Selling Exhibition

Contemporary Applied Arts, London – featured international artist

Barrett Marsden Gallery, London

Hermanns Award, Sherman Galleries, Sydney

International Ceramics Exhibition, Alpha House Gallery, Dorset, UK

Colonial to Contemporary, Powerhouse Museum, Sydney

Freeman Gallery, Hobart

International Infusion III, Sybaris Gallery, Michigan, USA

International 20th Century Arts Fair, New York

‘International Ceramics Selection’ – Steninge Slott Kulturcenter, Sweden

Sybaris Gallery, Michigan, USA International Infusion’

Australian Ceramicists at the Gallery Marianne Heller, Heidelberg, Germany

Sturt Galleries, NSW;

Queensland Potters

Australian contemporary Art Fair Melbourne

19th National Craft Acquisition Award – Northern Territory

Palm Beach International Art Fair

Art Palm Beach 20th Century Fine Art Fair

2000                   The International Asian Art Fair, New York

20th Century at Olympia, London

Grosvenor House Art and Antiques Fair, London

The International Fine Art Show, New York

Australian Ceramics – Hong Kong Arts Centre

Beverly Hills International Art Fair

1999                   Hokkaido Museum of Modern Art, Japan

25th Alice Craft Acquisition, Northern Territory

Materiality – Spare Room, RMIT University

SOFA – New York

International Porcelain, Strasbourg, France

Artistic Australia – Grand Hyatt Hotel, Tsukamoto and Etoh stores, Fukuoka;Mitsukoshi, Tokyo;Kadoya, Nishio; Anshindo store, Shizuoka; Japan

Hobart Art Prize

Barret Marsden Gallery, London

1998:                  Aurora -Vietnam.

Triennale de la Porcelaine Nyon – Suisse

Fletcher Challenge Ceramics Award, Auckland, New Zealand.

Aurora – RMIT Gallery, Melbourne

RMIT Staff exhibition – Hong Kong Arts Centre

SOFA – Chicago – Beaver Galleries

ACAF – Melbourne – Christine Abrahams Gallery

Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney

1997:                  Australian Ceramics Exhibition – Galerie Handwerk, Munich.

Aurora – Pakistan : Karachi, Islamabad

Fletcher Challenge Ceramics Award, Auckland, New Zealand.

Alice Craft Acquisition Award, Northern Territory

Savode Gallery, Brisbane.

Aurora – Bangladesh: Dakka.

Australian Ceramics Exhibition – Kunstgewerbemuseum- Dresden.

1996:                  Australia Day Exhibition, Shepparton Art Gallery.

The Vessel, Canberra School of Art Gallery.

International Connections, Canberra.

Savode Gallery, Brisbane.

Stillness, Craft Council, ACT.

Postpack exhibition, Canberra School of Art.

Alpha House Gallery, UK.

Aurora -Seoul Arts Centre, Korea.

Fletcher Challenge Ceramics Award, Auckland, New Zealand.

1995:                  ‘The Bowl’ – Savode Gallery, Brisbane.

Mornington Peninsula Craft Event.

Bathurst Art Purchase.

Fletcher Challenge Ceramics Award.

Nillumbik Art Award.

15th National Craft Acquisition Award Northern Territory.

Mino International Ceramics Festival, Mino, Japan.

Lauraine Diggins – Australian Decorative Arts Survey.

1994:                  Mornington Peninsula Arts Centre.

Ether Ohnetitel, Craft Collectors Circle.

Colin and Cecily Rigg Award, National Gallery of Victoria.

The Bowled and the Beautiful, Perth.

Austceram Art Award.

Contemporary Applied Arts, London.

1992:                  Contemporary Applied Arts, London, Summer Show.

Jennings Award, Meat Market Craft Centre.

‘The Market, Kitch and Cultural Production, Craft Victoria.

Mino International Ceramics Festival, Mino, Japan.

1991:                  Australia Day Exhibition, Shepparton Art Gallery.

`ASPECTS’ – RMIT Gallery, Melbourne.

1984 – 1989      Seven Dials Gallery, London; Kings Circus Gallery, Bath.

Strangeways, London; Long Street Gallery, Tetbury.

Sir John Cass College of Art, London;

Royal Festival Hall, London; Southwark Cathedral, London.

Fenny Lodge Gallery, Milton Keynes, UK.

Direct Design Show, London; British Crafts Centre.

Nexus Gallery, Brighton; Stafford Art Gallery, Staffordshire.

Contemporary Applied Arts, London.

Crafts Fair, Chelsea -selected exhibitor, Crafts Council UK.

The Tent, Edinburgh Festival; Terrace Gallery, Worthing

Creative Eye, London – Crafts Council.

The Harrow Connection – touring England, Scotland and Ireland – Northern

Contemporary Arts, Crafts Council UK.

SMB Art Staff Exhibition – Ballarat Fine Art Gallery.

 

Teaching and related Experience:

2017

Claypool, Sydney

Private mentorships and apprentice supervision

Pottery Workshop, Jingdezhen, China

Pottery Workshop, Shanghai, China

2012-present    Slow Clay Centre, Melbourne,

Private mentorships and apprentice supervision

2013                   lecture, Manning Clarke House, Canberra

2012                   Presenter, Subversive clay on education, Adelaide

2011                   Presenter, Red Conference on Collaboration, COFA, NSW

Keynote speaker. Ceramics Festival. Alice Springs, NT

Judge, Vitrify 2012 – Alcorso National Ceramics Competition

2010 -2012       Creative Director (Part Time), Ceramics Studio, Jam Factory Contemporary Craft and Design, Adelaide

  • Seminar and Workshop of International Cultural Creative Industry

Craft, Material and Innovation National Taiwan University of Arts. Lecturer and workshop leader.

Lecture and tutorials, Graduate Institute of Applied Arts, Tainan National College of the Arts, Tainan, Taiwan.

  • Ceramics Coordinator, Senior Lecturer, RMIT University (0.5 time fraction)

Konkuk University, Seoul, Korea

Sydney University

National Art School, Sydney

Object Gallery, Sydney

  • Ceramics Coordinator, Senior Lecturer, RMIT University (0.5 time fraction)

Royal College of Art, London

Artist Talk, NGV International, Under the Influence – Gwyn Hanssen Pigott

2005                   Lecture University of the Third Age

2004                 Lecture Artists in conversation, CAE Melbourne

  • Konstfack School of Art and Design, Stockholm, Sweden

University of Westminster, London, UK

Royal College of Art, London, UK

Bath University, London, UK

Guldagergaard Ceramics Centre, Denmark

2002                   Lecture, Ballarat Fine Art Gallery

2000                   Lecturer, Monash University – Ceramics

1999                   Lecture – Artists talk about inspiration – Sixth Australian Contemporary Art Fair

1999                   Masters assessment, Monash University

Workshop – The Persuasive Object – Unitec – Auckland, New Zealand

Lecture – Amalgamated Arts Ballarat – Development of my work

Lecture – Australian Contemporary Art Fair – ‘On Inspiration’

1997                   Lecturer School of Fine Art, Lahore, Pakistan

1993 – 1996      Lecturer, Melbourne University – Ceramics, Education;

1993 – 2007      Lecturer, R.M.I.T. – Fine Art – Ceramics.

Festival in Ceramics – Victorian Ceramic Group

International Workshop, Canberra School of Art, ACT

1991 – 1993      External Examiner, Melbourne University Institute of Education, Ceramics.

1989 – 1993      Teacher in Ceramics, (0.6 time)-School of Mines and Industries, Ballarat.

Visiting lecturer: RMIT, Fine Art – Ceramics; RMIT, Ceramics Summer School; Melb. Univ. Inst. of Education;

Victoria College; Ballarat Ceramic Group; Geelong Ceramics Group.

1984-1989:       Guest Lecturer – Harrow College of Higher Education -Studio Pottery Course, London.

1979-1989:       Inner London Education Authority – pottery classes for children and adults.

Curating:

2015                   Welcome to Table, Castlemaine Arts Festival

2013                   Australian Ceramics Exhibition, Moss Green Gallery, Melbourne           

2012                   Directors Choice, Gallery 2, JamFactory Contemporary Craft and Design, SA

2009                   Tablewares, an International Collection, Rex Irwin Art Dealer, Sydney

2006                   Celebration, Manly Art Gallery, Sydney

 

Judge:               

Alcorso Award 2012

Trudie Alfred Bequest Scholarship 2012

 

Residencies:

2016                   Pottery workshop, Jingdezhen, China

2012                   Pottery workshop, Jingdezhen, China

2013                   Pottery workshop, Jingdezhen, China

 

Writing practice:

2016                   Special Judges Award entry for ‘Willis Company Restaurants’ – Australia Chinese Business Awards, Shanghai, China

2013                   Goldmark Art, UK – Takeshi Yasuda catalogue essay

Crawling Through Mud, Exhibition review, Shepparton Art Museum, Australian Journal of Ceramics

2012                   Samstag Museum, SA – Khaki Liew and Bruce Nuske Irrational and Idiosyncratic furniture, catalogue essay

1989 – 2016      Numerous articles for Australian Ceramics Journal, Pottery in Australia,

Ceramic Review, UK; Ceramics Art and Perception.

Numerous grant applications for individuals and institutions to Australia Council, Arts Victoria and Arts SA.

Employment applications and coaching for individuals

1981-1989        Editor, Directory of Scientific Research Institutes, Longmans, London

Occasional editing, Methuen, London

Selected articles and reviews:

Featured artist, Radio National The Makers with Julie Copeland

Featured artist, Radio National Drive time with Virgina Trioli.

Adelaide Advertiser; Craft magazine (UK); Melbourne Age; Irish Times, Dublin (Eire); New Zealand Herald; Progress Press; New Zealand Potter;

Pottery in Australia – Volume 34 Number 3 – Spring 1995 – Transcending Place and Time by Kevin White – pp7 – 9.

Ceramics Art and Perception – Issue 21 – 1995 – Life and Structure- by Alison Britton – pp69 -71;

Pottery in Australia – Volume 35 Number 3 – Spring 1996 -Throwing and joining porcelain – Karen Weiss

Object Magazine; Belle Magazine; Vogue Living

Functional Philosophy Jane Sawyer Ceramics – Pottery in Australia – Volume 34 Number 3 – Spring 1995 – pp18 – 19.

Exhibition of New Work at Studio COM, Kyoto – report – Craft Victoria Bulletin, No. 1, 1997.

Ceramic Review: May/June 1998 – Article by Alison Britton

Ceramics Monthly Magazine (USA)

Pottery in Australia, Article 2001

Pottery in Australia, Article 2002 – teapot and cup

Hermanns Award Article 2001;

New York Times review 2002