Christine Murphy
CREATIVE PRACTICE
I make hand built and wheel thrown ceramics. With a focus mainly on unglazed surfaces, predominantly smokefired finishes. Smoke firing is a process whereby bisque fired ceramics are coloured and marked by smoke rather than glaze. It is ancient technique used by many cultures around the world. These pieces are coloured by locally sourced sawdust: Cedar, Merbau and New Guinea Rosewood with a wide range of organic materials foraged and repurposed like egg shells, coffee grounds, corn husks and seaweed. Every piece is uniquely patterned and marked by the process and the elemental conditions at the time of the firing. This is a slow fired process that can take up to three days to burn out. Each piece is sealed in Liquid Quartz. This special sealer allows the ceramic pieces to maintain the natural ‘naked’ state whilst creating functional stain resistant and food safe tableware.
ARTIST STATEMENT
My ceramic practice is primarily seasonal with the emphasis on raw clay surfaces and finishes. Through the cooler half of the year I focus on the practice of primitive firing techniques. During the warmer months the work is centred on exploring different clay
BIO
December 2015 - '“The Craft Shed Collective” - Weswal Gallery, Tamworth NSW, Australia
December 2017 - “Same but Different” - Weswal Gallery, Tamworth NSW, Australia
July 2019 - “Friends of the Regional Gallery” - Tamworth Regional Gallery NSW, Australia
December 2019 - “The Response” - Weswal Gallery NSW, Australia
November 2020 - Winter Show - Thrown Contemporary, London UK
CONTACT
info@imagenationceramicart.com