Ceramicists to flock to Stepping Up
Canberra is gearing up for a big arts event next month, one that will see ceramicists from all over the world converging on the capital. Stepping Up, the 14th Australian Ceramics Triennale takes place over three days from July 9-11, with keynote talks, presentations, demonstrations and panel discussions, as well as pre-conference masterclasses, exhibitions, a trade fair and a potters' market. About 35 ceramics exhibitions will be held in various locations across the city. Stepping Up is managed by Craft ACT in partnership with the Australian National University, Strathnairn Arts Association and the Canberra Potters' Society. And the National Gallery of Australia is partnering on the one-day Market Place on July 12, with two free guided tours of the Australian Decorative Arts, at 12 and 2pm. More than 30 ceramicists will present their work and audiences will have a unique opportunity to speak with and purchase directly from the artists, including Janet DeBoos, DeMaine Pottery, Mollie Bosworth and Sandra Bowkett. For more information on Stepping Up – The Australian Ceramics Triennale, visit australianceramicstriennale.com.au.
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Shifting senses at M16
One of the Triennale's most anticipated shows is Shifting Senses, which opened at M16 this month and runs until July 12. Featuring eight South Australian artists, the show investigates experimental processes in contemporary ceramic art: "By engaging with three curatorial concerns – a mark, a vessel and a scene – the exhibition focuses on the formation of new narratives addressing identity, the environment, process and possibility". Shifting Senses, featuring Ebony Heindenreich, Wayne Mcara, Sophia Nuske, Maria Parmenter, Sophia Phillips, Alison Smiles, Ulrica Trulsson and George Zacharoyannis, is showing at M16 Artspace, 21 Blaxland Crescent, Griffith until July 12.
Memories and Rust in Manuka
Memories and rust, photographs and steel – two very different artists combine their talents this week to present a new show opening at CCAS Manuka. Josh Darcy has worked in steel over several years in both the functional and artistic pursuit, and more recently his work has "challenged the way steel is generally perceived and used to create literal and abstract sculptures". Meanwhile, Nigel Dobson presents his first exhibition of photographs, which "aim to achieve a compositional aesthetic. The collection does not follow a particular theme but rather reflects the memories that the photographs hold for the artist." Memories and Rust, by Nigel Dobson and Josh Darcy, opens at Canberra Contemporary Art Space, 19 Furneaux Street, Manuka, on June 25 and runs until July 5.
Upcoming talks by people who know their stuff
Canberra artist and current artist-in-residence at Megalo Katy Mutton will be chatting to the public about her work on Saturday, June 20: "Mutton's work is concerned with warfare and its effect on cultural identity and history. Her fascination with the relationship nations have with the technology of war has led to many works exploring military aviation through history." She'll be speaking as part of the Midwinter Megalo Mingle, 4pm-9pm on Saturday, June 20, at Megalo Print Studio + Gallery, 21 Wentworth Avenue, Kingston. Later in the week, Deborah Clark, CMAG's senior curator of visual arts will join Sheridan Burnett of the ANU in conversation about the exhibition A potted history of Canberra region ceramics, and the many aspects of ceramics in the Canberra region, on Wednesday, June 24, 1pm-2pm at Canberra Museum and Gallery, Cnr London Circuit and Civic Square, Canberra. And finally, Dianne Firth is a landscape architect and artist whose textile art has appeared in collections all over the world. She's the next speaker lined up for the very switched-on Australian Decorative & Fine Arts Society Molonglo Plains Steering Committee: "In defining her art, Dianne describes exploring and interpreting our distinctive Australian landscape to capture ideas in line, form, colour and texture then manipulating this visual language with materials including fabrics, leaves, metals, plastic & paper into layered, stitched, textile art forms." Dianne Firth will be speaking on Thursday June 25, 2pm at the Comfort Inn Airport International, 57 Yass Road, Queanbeyan. Members free, visitors $25. For membership inquiries and visitor bookings, contact Lucy Costas on 6299 1105 or lucyjvc@gmail.com.
Zine launch
Three diverse young writers are launching a limited edition zine at Gorman Arts Centre on Saturday June 20, as part of the Jumble Junior project, an initiative of independent organisation rip publishing. Hajira Abuuh, Ariana Barzinpour and Pavana Suwanmuk were mentored on writing, editing and illustration through a series of workshops, and developed a story each over the course of the project exploring themes of food and identity. The results will be launched on Saturday, June 20, 3pm at Gorman Arts Centre.
Support our photographers
PhotoAccess is calling for end-of-financial-year donations to help support Canberra's growing photography community: "Photography matters. It's how we make our lived histories and ideas visible, showing us as we are and as we dream of being. PhotoAccess is a non-profit arts organisation, and with your support, we can continue our work. For more than 30 years PhotoAccess has provided a place for creation, conversation, education and exhibitions, accessible to all within our community. As the end of the financial year approaches, we encourage you to donate. Donations of $2 or more are tax deductible, and support exhibitions, artist residencies, community projects and public access programs. No amount is too small and all funds raised help PhotoAccess to ensure that photo-based art has a place to call home in the ACT." For more information, visit photoaccess.org.au.
Pin it at ANCA
ANCA Gallery in Dickson is presenting its fifth and hugely popular annual show of miniature wearable artworks, with more than 200 works by 60-odd artists. The concept, dreamed up in 2011 by Canberra artist Chloe Bussenschutt, has become something of an institution, with the concept of teensy wearable artworks appealing to artists and audiences everywhere. Materials include glass, plastic, gold and silver, paper, porcelain, found objects, printing plates, wood, paint, textiles and even plant matter, and this year's artists include Mariana del Castillo, Nicci Haynes, Chris Carmody, Heike Qualitz and many more. Be quick, though, as many will sell on the opening night. The sPIN opening event is on Wednesday, June 24, from 6pm-8pm at ANCA Gallery, 1 Rosevear Place, Dickson, and will show until July 5.
New drama scholarships
The Canberra Academy of Dramatic Art (CADA) has announced six scholarships for students wanting to start their professional actor training this July: "For the first time, Canberra's leading drama school is offering one half-fees tuition scholarship and five $500 cash scholarships for students' personal expenses. The academy runs a suite of performing arts courses, and July marks the midyear intake for students wanting to pursue the Certificate III in Performance (Acting), course code 81118ACT. It's a one-semester course covering acting techniques for stage and screen, voice and movement studies, industry preparation and the history of theatre and film."It's not an easy road to pursue a career in the entertainment industry, but some people are just born for it and can't imagine doing anything else," says CADA's managing director Elizabeth Scott. Prospective students need to attend a drama workshop and information session to apply. To find out more, visit cada.net.au.
