Date: 26th and 27th October, 2024
Time: 9:30am
Duration: 7 hrs/day
South-African born, Ipswich-based Jane du Rand uses her art practice to document and better understand the world around her, building three-dimensional landscapes that feature the native flora and fauna she encounters while bushwalking west of Brisbane. Having made note of everything she’s seen while hiking, she recreates these scenes using a combination of ceramic and mosaic techniques. Presented under glass cloches, they are reminiscent of the dioramas found in natural history museums – a contemporary sculptural version of the early natural history illustrations and specimen displays that existed in the Victorian era.
An alumna of the University of KwaZulu Natal in Durban, South Africa, Jane du Rand is internationally recognised for her large-scale ceramic mosaics commissioned for public buildings and private homes in Europe, the UK, the USA, South Africa and Australia. Awarded ‘Best of Show’ at the 2017 Ipswich Art Award, she was a finalist in the 2020 Queensland Regional Art Awards, the 2018 Ipswich Art Award, and the Mercedes Benz Award for South African Art Projects in Public Spaces in 2009. Her solo exhibition ‘Living in Ipswich’ will be presented at Ipswich Art Gallery in 2020.
In this two day workshop Jane will guide you using unique techniques to make either a 3D sculptural piece or a relief wall piece based on inspiration from the local native flora and fauna, focusing on birdlife which is her special interest. By the end of the two days we will have pieces ready to dry for firing.
Jane will bring along her taxidermy bird collection and some specialised tools for making bird sculptures for each participant as well as reference material for making birds and Australian native plants
Day 1 will start with a walk in a local bushland / botanic garden looking at birds and plants native to the region, taking our sketch book and cameras / phones to record what we see. You will start to work on designs for the pieces, looking at possible textures, shapes and patterns that you have found in nature, and learning how we can translate these into our work. After lunch Jane will demonstrate sculpting a bird in clay and everyone can start work on their pieces.
Day 2 you will start with making the structures which will hold the bird sculptures, there will either be wall mountable or free standing. After lunch Jane will demonstrate how I use underglazes, stains and oxides on my bird sculptures. The rest of the day will be finishing off our sculptural pieces.
All clay and tools for use included for both days
Morning tea provided both days
Firing of completed pots at extra cost
Apron or old clothes
Banding wheel, if you have one
Water bottle
This course is designed for those with a foundational level of experience with handbuilding. It is not designed for absolute beginners.
Participants must be over the age of 16
Burnt Dirt is a new artist run initiative based in the Illawarra region that aims to push the boundaries of object and ceramic art.
We acknowledge and respect the traditional owners and custodians of the land on which we create, Dharawal Country. We pay our respect to Elders past, present and those emerging.
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