11 - 27 August 2022
about the exhibition
Sandra Black is known for her perfectly balanced thrown and cast porcelain vessels. Over the last two pandemic years the studio became a place of refuge and reflection for Sandra and this exhibition includes pieces made within this important space. Sandra has always been a thoughtful artist, learning and developing her skills from mentors and residencies around the world. This body of work includes various techniques gained over the years, each imbued with memory and meaning. When looking at each of her pieces (both thrown and slip cast) the viewer can appreciate Sandra’s attention to the interior space of the vessel. She has spent many years aiming to perfect that inner space and for Sandra, the careful finishing and balance of the exterior can only come after this has been achieved. As well as this, there is a beautiful balance between the decorative elements and themes she chooses to explore. The natural world of Western Australia continues to be a source of inspiration as Sandra plays with organic imagery both natural and abstracted. As art reviewer Kerry-Anne Cousins noted about her work, “Black’s restraint in choosing simple forms and not glazing the pots but leaving the design to speak for itself, results in works that are attractive with a harmonious interweaving of pattern and form.”
Sandra Black lives and works in Fremantle, WA, and studied at the WA Institute of Technology (now Curtin University). She has been exhibiting in solo and invitational shows since 1976 across Australia, as well as overseas including USA, Germany, Canada, New Zealand, Netherlands, Switzerland and Japan. She has undertaken numerous residencies around the world, most recently in Jingdezhen (China) in 2018 and Maihar, Madhya Pradesh (India) in 2015. Her work is widely represented in regional, state, national and international collections including the National Gallery of Australia, Parliament House, Art Gallery of Western Australia, Winnipeg Art Gallery, Gifu Prefecture Ceramic Museum (Japan) and the Auckland Gallery and Museum (New Zealand).
