John Shirley Ceramics

3 Makers - Many Marks

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 18 Apr 2017 20:27:00 +0000

One of my pieces for the exhibition 3 Makers - Many Marks opening Friday 21 04 2017 at the Association of Arts in Pretoria at 18h30. Also on the exhibition is work by Gaby Snyman and Nici Brockwell.

More Monochromatic Work

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 23 Apr 2016 15:54:00 +0000

As I continue working with my new bone china body and the monochromatic surface treatment I am really excited about the results I am getting. Just out of the kiln is this piece, whiter and more translucent than ever. I am so excited with these pieces and cannot wait for the next firings.

A New Clay Body

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 13 Apr 2016 19:33:00 +0000

It has been quite some time since my last blog post. One of the main things that have occupied my time is developing a new clay body. I have been working with Bone china for some time now and the kaolin that I used in the body was no longer available and as a result I have been busy with numerous tests trying to recreate the body I had. I opened a firing today and I am really thrilled with the result. If anything, I think it is better than the previous body I had. The translucency is exceptional as is the whiteness. To say I am happy is an understatement!

A detail of a piece from the last firing showing the translucency

Andrew Walford Exhibition this Weekend

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 05 Sep 2014 14:27:00 +0000

It is always interesting to visit Liebermann Pottery at The Old Gasworks, and this weekend is even more attractive as Andrew Walford on of South Africa's most revered potters has an exhibition running until Sunday. Don't miss it!

Lindy van Hasselt Exhibition

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 13 Aug 2014 20:54:00 +0000

Click on image to enlarge

Lindy van Hasselt is one of our students at The Pottery Studio in Bryanston, and this promises to be an exceptional show of her work. Diarise the date, and be sure to get there if you possibly can.

August Workshops

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 04 Aug 2014 05:45:00 +0000

Exhibition ends this Sunday

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 16 Jul 2014 19:18:00 +0000

Your last chance to see this exhibition of exquisitely crafted translucent porcelain by Antoinette Badenhorst at the gallery @ The Pottery Studio in Bryanston. A rare opportunity to see this beautiful work.

Ceramics S A Regional Exhibition

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 04 Jun 2014 05:59:00 +0000

Click on image to enlarge

Something Different

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 09 Mar 2014 20:40:00 +0000

Looking to broaden my palette, a piece using cobalt and barium chloride giving strong blue and a wonderful dark blackish brown.

Kalk Bay Modern

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 27 Feb 2014 05:34:00 +0000

Some of my most recent work can now be seen at Kalk Bay Modern in The Cape.

Decorated and Ready for the Kiln

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 17 Feb 2014 18:11:00 +0000

Spent most of the afternoon decorating work with wax resist and soluble salts. This is one of the decorated pieces before being placed in the kiln and fired to 1260^oC. Always a tense time as so much can happen during the firing. Let's see what tomorrow brings!

Workshop by Ruthanne Tudball in Bryanston

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 11 Feb 2014 13:27:00 +0000

Artist's Statement

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 13 Jan 2014 13:24:00 +0000

My fascination with the ceramic process is a major influence in my work. My aim is to create pieces which possess an ethereal quality. My current work is in bone-china and I employ a number of ways to treat the surface including solutions of soluble metallic salts, which permeate the surface and when used in conjunction with resist techniques, a subtle watercolor effect is achieved.

White on White

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 29 Oct 2013 06:07:00 +0000

A new example of my white on white work. Bone china with applied surface treatment.

New Explorations

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 28 Oct 2013 06:49:00 +0000

I have been experimenting with mixing small amounts of oxide into my soluble salt solutions, producing results that I find to be very exciting. Below are 2 examples from a recent firing that I am particularly pleased with.

Images from Current Exhibitions

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 17:49:00 +0000

Here are 3 images of my work on the 2 exhibitions mentioned in my previous post. Thanks to Pamela Schroeder and Eugene Hӧn

Bone China with trailed surface. Image: Pam Schroeder

Bone China with painted soluble salt decoration. Image: Eugene Hӧn

Bone china with wax resist and layered application of soluble salts.
Image: Eugene Hӧn

Two Exhibitions open this Weekend

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 21:07:00 +0000

This weekend sees the opening of 2 exhibitions on which I will be showing work.
The first, opening on Saturday, is 'Fragile' and exhibition by The Porcelain Collective, an initiative comprising 9 Gauteng ceramists working in porcelain and bone-china.

This will be followed on Sunday by The UltraFurn Regional Exhibition, hosted by Ceramics Southern Africa. This is an annual show showcasing the work of the Gauteng members of the association.

Samsara

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 23 Feb 2013 07:40:00 +0000

I urge you to make every effort to see this beautiful exhibition!

Creating Context

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 19:01:00 +0000

I know mid-February is late for a first blog post of the year, particularly if it is to create a purpose or an intention for the year. Well, it is mid-February and here is my first post for this year on the topic of creating a context for the year ahead.

What do I want to do differently this year and what will be my focus. I will continue with my work of both making and teaching ceramics. For me it is difficult to say which of these is more important. They are so intertwined and each nurtures the other. My work is stronger through my teaching and vice-versa.

My desire to make a difference is as strong if not stronger than ever and my thirst for a better understanding and further knowledge of my chosen medium never diminishes.

I do not intend to bore you with a list of individual goals, those are for me to make and either adhere to or discard as I travel my path through this year, suffice it to say that I choose to be present in whatever endeavour I am involved in and to make whatever mark I make to the best of my ability.

Three Openings This Week

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 25 Nov 2012 06:14:00 +0000

There are usually not many ceramic exhibitions on at one time in Gauteng, and to be a part of 3 openings in one week is quite a feat! Last Saturday saw the opening of 'Four Ceramicists' at the Kim Sacks Gallery which I featured in my previous post and it will run until the 5th January.
On Friday evening the 'Black and White' exhibition opened in Pretoria, and yesterday was the opening of 'Translucencies' at Art Afrique at Legacy Corner in the Mandela Square. It features the work of 7 ceramists using porcelain and bone-china as their preferred medium. It will run until Sunday 2 December.

Here are 3 images of my work on the exhibitions

Four Ceramicists at Kim Sacks Gallery

Black & White at Association of Arts

Translucencies at Art Afrique

Four Ceramicists

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 07 Nov 2012 21:18:00 +0000

On Saturday 17th November at the Kim Sacks Gallery I will be share an exhibition 'Four Ceramicists' with Carolyn Heydenrych, Lisa Firer and Louise Gelderblom.

There will be a walkabout at the exhibition opening at 2:30 pm conducted by Carolyn Heydenrych and myself.

One of my pieces on the show.

Ground Xero at Art in the Forest

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 24 Oct 2012 19:02:00 +0000

It has been some time since I have had new work on show in the Cape. I have few pieces on this group exhibition curated by Anthony Shapiro at this beautiful venue.

The exhibition opens on Saturday October 27 at 11:00 am. If you are in the area it will be great if you can be there.

click on image to enlarge

Testing Testing Testing

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 23 Oct 2012 19:29:00 +0000

I love coming up with new ideas and testing and developing them into my work. I have been carrying out a number of new tests recently using the soluble salts in new combinations and I find this particular one quite exciting and it opens many new opportunities for development.

Corbrik National Ceramics Exhibition: Last Days

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 08:42:00 +0000

2012 COROBRIK NATIONAL CERAMICS EXHIBITION

Pretoria Art Museum cor. Francis Baard (Schoeman) & Wessels Streets Arcadia

An image of my work on the exhibition by Pam Schroeder.

The exhibition ends on Sunday, and on Saturday 20 October at 2:30pm I will be conducting a walkabout at the exhibition

The Pretoria Art Museum charges an entry fee but is waiving this for people coming for the walkabout on Saturday. Don’t miss out.

C S A National Exhibition

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 07 Oct 2012 06:38:00 +0000

Undoubtedly one of the major events on the South African ceramics calendar is the National Exhibition hosted by Ceramics Southern Africa. This exhibition opens today at the Pretoria Art Museum cor. Francis Baard (Schoeman) & Wessels Streets Arcadia at 11:30 am and runs until the 21st October.

At today's opening, awards totalling R30,000 will be presented by Daphne Corregan, an international ceramic artist from France, and new Fellows of Ceramics Southern Africa will be announced.

During the run of the exhibition on Saturday October 13 Three well known personalities will present a panel discussion on ceramics at the Pretoria Art Museum
At 10.30 a.m. Ronnie Watt, who has one of the finest collections of reduction fired ceramics in South Africa, will speak on Collecting Ceramics., and, withMichael Bernardi, Art Auctioneer from Pretoria, will discuss buying ceramics on auction.For the ceramists and artists who work in clay Michael will also give advice on selling their work on auction. At 11.30 a.m. Eugene Hön, from the University of Johannesburg will conduct a walkabout to discuss the work on the Exhibition. On Saturday October 20 at 2.30 p.m. I will lead a walkabout and discussion. Ceramic artists, potters and sculptors from all parts of South Africa have had their work selected for this exhibition and it is certainly not to be missed