The Potters Beechworth

Artists represented at The Potters Beechworth

Ric and Judy Pierce of One Tree Hill Pottery, Beechworth are joined by local and international studio ceramic artists to present an extraordinary range of contemporary ceramics.
I have always heard that Potters are a breed unto themselves. Recently I discovered that this statement was true. It was brandished a fact when I met the owners of "The Potters Beechworth", Ric and Judy Pierce. They had on their best jeans and blundstones as they met me at the shop front, in the small tourist town of Beechworth. Immediately I could see that this stretch of footpath held more personality than the entire Central Business District of Melbourne. Led through by Ric and Judy, the instigators of the shop, my eyes were dazzled by the excessively wide variety of pots. Every holding, using, cooking, bowl, plate and vase was displayed. I saw white pots with free form flowers, abstract landscapes on a 5:00 pm blue, terra-cotta bowls, two-tone port vessels. It was all there. I was inquisitive about where these works held their roots. Surely these characters must reside all over Victoria, if not Australia. Well, yes, an it's international now too. Humouring themselves with the likening to fruit. How can that be? I ponder. There is such a huge array of styles, colours and decoration, "Ah, well, we are all very individual." Ric slips in, quite unnecessarily. The focus was taken from the pots to the Potters. Before I knew it a hot coffee, served in a 'Midnight' coffee mug that was thrust into my hand and we were in the midst of some good ole' country yarns. I heard the four day saga of the Anagama, a wood-fired kiln which requires hand stoking every five minutes, for forty eight hours. This starts with good pottery intentions and ends in a Ceramic and Art forum, gathering all the local arts and craft folk. Ideas and philosophies are thrown around, the chimney sets on fire because some over zealous theorist had taken his excitement out on the stoking, and some great pots are created. These, which are shown in amongst the table ware, are more akin to art sculpture but Judy, the mother of the “woodies” advocates "we don't stuff around with any of that esoteric crap, we just make pots." "Just make pots, humph!" Ric exclaims. His upcoming work is revolving around large pots. As he describes these to me, hands and arms are waving frantically. I don't understand the size to flapping ratio until he tells me his goal, by the summer of '99, is to make a pot large enough for his 23 year old daughter to bathe in. The grin had not even fallen from my face when the potters moved to a more serious subject; their new art gallery. Seeing my confusion as I scanned around the pot-filled space, they guided me toward a stairwell hidden in the corner. My excitement rose as I saw the marvellous space upstairs. It looked like a shearing shed, with walls in strange places and a skylight looking down onto the shop below. I could just imagine ceramic art up here, in the small room looking over the town, especially those drawing from the life of a potter. For me, the pace of the city will be a welcome relief but for a moment I have experienced not only the country, but also county crafts and country folks. I urge you to give it a try, it's like nothing you'll experience in the city!
by Jacqui E.