Object: stories of design and craft

Host Lisa Cahill chats with master metalsmith Johannes Kuhnen. Johannes Kuhnen is one of the pioneers of anodised aluminium metalwork. In this episode, Johannes explains why he finds anodising annoying, and his design process.Hear from judges Jason Smith, Hyeyoung Cho and Brian Parkes on his MAKE Award entry, Remnant Green.Johannes Kuhnen is one of Australia's most well recognised silversmiths. Johannes' practice has remained at the forefront of innovation, in particular his pioneering use of anodised aluminium. A fascination with the colour options of the aluminium continue to provide inspiration for his work and have also inspired many others to explore such potential.GuestsJohannes KuhnenJason Smith, Director and CEO of Geelong Gallery, VictoriaHyeyoung CHO, Chair of the Korea Association of Art and Design, and expert panel member of the Loewe Foundation Craft PrizeBrian Parkes, CEO at JamFactory, Adelaide, South AustraliaCreditsObject is a podcast of the Australian Design Centre and is made on Gadigal Country in Sydney, Australia.It's hosted by CEO and Artistic Director Lisa Cahill and produced by Jane Curtis, in collaboration with Lisa Cahill. Sound Engineering is by John Jacobs.

Host Lisa Cahill chats with partners in life and work, Csilla Csongvay and Matt Blackwood. In this episode, Csilla and Matt share the inspirations behind their work, what it takes to enter an award, and how they made a single sculpture from 100 pieces of clay.Hear from judges Jason Smith, Hyeyoung Cho and Brian Parkes on their work, Walk the Line Version 7.GuestsCsilla CsongvayMatt BlackwoodJason Smith, Director and CEO of Geelong Gallery, VictoriaHyeyoung CHO, Chair of the Korea Association of Art and Design, and expert panel member of the Loewe Foundation Craft PrizeBrian Parkes, CEO at JamFactory, Adelaide, South AustraliaCreditsObject is a podcast of the Australian Design Centre and is made on Gadigal Country in Sydney, Australia.It's hosted by CEO and Artistic Director Lisa Cahill and produced by Jane Curtis, in collaboration with Lisa Cahill. Sound Engineering is by John Jacobs.

Host Lisa Cahill chats with contemporary jeweller Julie Blyfield. Hear how Julie's MAKE Award entry is inspired by love and loss. Julie Blyfield is a South Australian artist renowned for her work inspired by collected botanical specimens and forms. Using the traditional metalsmithing techniques of chasing and repoussé, Blyfield makes intricately textured pieces, which capture the essence of the Australian natural landscape.Award judges Jason Smith, Hyeyoung Cho and Brian Parkes share their thoughts on Julie’s work Memento Vivere (Remember to live).Episode photo by Grant Hancock.GuestsJulie Blyfield, contemporary jewellerJason Smith, Director and CEO of Geelong Gallery, VictoriaHyeyoung CHO, Chair of the Korea Association of Art and Design, and expert panel member of the Loewe Foundation Craft PrizeBrian Parkes, CEO at JamFactory, Adelaide, South AustraliaCreditsObject is a podcast of the Australian Design Centre and is made on Gadigal Country in Sydney, Australia.It's hosted by CEO and Artistic Director Lisa Cahill and produced by Jane Curtis, in collaboration with Lisa Cahill. Sound Engineering is by John Jacobs.

Meet clothing designers High Tea With Mrs Woo.Rowena, Angela and Juliana Foong are three sisters who run a clothing label that focuses on sustainability and ethical production and who collaborate on design, making, mending and more. In this episode, you'll hear comments from MAKE Award judges Jason Smith, Hyeyoung Cho and Brian Parkes. And find out, Who is Mrs Woo? What are the innovative ideas behind their work Resilience Coat? High Tea with Mrs Woo is a sustainable fashion practice, crafting clothes and accessories for modern thoughtful living. Their work features natural fibre fabrics, ethically made, through circular design.CreditsObject is a podcast of the Australian Design Centre and is made on Gadigal Country in Sydney, Australia.It's hosted by CEO and Artistic Director Lisa Cahill and produced by Jane Curtis, in collaboration with Lisa Cahill. Sound Engineering is by John Jacobs.

Meet the winner of the Inaugural MAKE Award, ceramic artist Vipoo Srivilasa.Vipoo tells us about the themes that inspire his work, the process of making the winning piece Diverse Dominion Deities, his strategic approach to the MAKE award, and Vipoo's ongoing charity project 'Clay For'.Hear comments from judges Jason Smith, Hyeyoung Cho and Brian Parkes on what made this sculpture a prize-winning work. About Vipoo SrivilasaMelbourne-based, Thai-born Australian artist Vipoo Srivilasa creates artwork that is positive, accessible, and beautiful. His practice primarily focuses on ceramics, though he also produces works on paper, mixed-media sculptures, bronze statues, and large-scale public art installations. He often incorporates food and interactive performance into his ceramic projects, creating a unique and immersive experience for viewers.GuestsVipoo Srivilasa, ceramic artistJason Smith, Director and CEO of Geelong Gallery VictoriaHyeyoung Cho, Chair of the Korea Association of Art and Design, and expert panel member of the Loewe Foundation Craft PrizeBrian Parkes, CEO at Jam Factory in Adelaide, South AustraliaCreditsObject is a podcast of the Australian Design Centre and is made on Gadigal Country in Sydney, Australia.It's hosted by CEO and Artistic Director Lisa Cahill and produced by Jane Curtis, in collaboration with Lisa Cahill. Sound Engineering is by John Jacobs.Image episode photo by Simon Strong.

Series 3 introduces the winner, four finalists and the judges of Australia’s newest and richest award for contemporary craft - the MAKE Award. This major new national award by us, the Australian Design Centre, celebrates innovation in contemporary craft and design.Over five episodes you’ll meet winner Vipoo Srivilasa and finalists the Foong Sisters (High Tea with Mrs Woo), Julie Blyfield, Csilla Csongvay and Matt Blackwood (Csongvay Blackwood), and Johannes Kuhnen. You’ll hear the stories behind their work, and reflections and comments from the MAKE Award judges.“An award can establish a career,” Johannes Kuhnen.Object is a podcast by the Australian Design Centre and is hosted its CEO and Artistic Director, Lisa Cahill. Produced by Jane Curtis and sound by John Jacobs.Produced on Gadigal and Wangal Country in Sydney, Australia.

Meet Powerhouse curator Eva Czernis-Ryl and hearThe skills of a museum curatorHow curators select and interpret objects What makes a work of ceramics suitable for a museum collection?The unique history of ceramics collected by the PowerhouseAnd hear ceramic artist and former editor of The Australian Journal of Ceramics Vicki Grima on setting up a ‘living bequest’ fund for ceramics.Eva Czernis-Ryl is an art and design historian and curator of Arts and Design at the Powerhouse in Sydney.Vicki Grima, OAM, was the editor of The Journal of Australian Ceramics and CEO of the Australian Ceramics Association from 2005 to February 2023. She’s also a practicing ceramic artist.Object is a podcast of the Australian Design Centre. We'd like to thank Visions of Australia, the Federal government’s regional exhibition touring program for funding support towards this podcast.Object is hosted by Lisa Cahill and produced by Jane Curtis, with production support from Alix Fiveash. Sound Engineering is by John Jacobs.

Meet ceramics artist and writer Robyn Phelan and hear:What makes a good piece of writing about visual art?How she wrote about a Damon Moon exhibitionHow can we get critique back into Australian arts commentary?How to use writing in your arts practice, andTips for new arts writers.  And, hear fine art photographer Greg Piper onWhat makes a good photograph of ceramics?How to get the narrative of your work across through a photo, andWhy you should have your work professionally photographed.Robyn Phelan is a writer, a ceramics artist and an educator. She writes regularly for The Australian Journal of Ceramics, and her other writing includes exhibition text and catalogues, reviews and articles.Robyn’s website https://robynphelan.com.au/ and Instagram https://www.instagram.com/robynphelan/Greg Piper is a fine art photographer and "passionate image maker to the arts community". His work includes artist portraits, exhibitions and publications. Greg's Instagram https://www.instagram.com/blinkneye/Object is hosted by the Australian Design Centre CEO and Artistic Director Lisa Cahill. It's produced by Jane Curtis with production support by Alix Fiveash. Sound engineering by John Jacobs. Thanks to Visions of Australia, the Federal government’s regional exhibition touring program for funding support towards this podcast.

What are the many ways to learn ceramics? How do you find your own sense of touch with clay?If you’re thinking about a hobby class or applying for a university or TAFE course, what’s good to know? Hear different approaches on teaching with clay, including from a Japanese production pottery, and a wishlist for the future of ceramics education in Australia. What’s on your list?GuestsJane Sawyer, founder and teacher at Slow Clay MelbourneJulie Bartholomew, former Head of Ceramics at ANU and ceramics artist

How do you start a ceramics collection? Tips on collecting for beginners, how to collect from galleries, how to make a collecting group and how to administer and document your collection.The guests are Brett Stone, artist, art dealer and founding director of Claypool communal pottery studios; Jane Sawyer, founder and teacher at Slow Clay Melbourne; and Jenna Price and John Kavanagh, ceramics collectors.Hosted by Lisa Cahill, CEO and Artistic Director of the Australian Design Centre.Produced by Jane Curtis with production support from Alix Fiveash. Sound engineering by John Jacobs.

Ilona Topolcsanyi makes bespoke tableware for some of Australia's most notable chefs. She’s even made plates that world leaders have eaten from, like Barack Obama, Angela Merkel and Xi JinPing.Hear how Ilona designs and makes by hand large orders of beautiful, hard-wearing and functional tableware. Learn how she works with chefs as a problem-solver, figuring out how to make bowls where the sauce sits perfectly.Ilona and her partner Colin Hopkins run their business Cone 11 in Naam, Melbourne. Their tableware has subtle surfaces that range from shimmering pearly whites to rich encrusted terracottas. Some of the restaurants Ilona has created work for include: Dan Hunter: Brae, Birregurra VictoriaJoel Bickford: Aria, Sydney NSW Josh Lopez: The Wolfe East Brisbane QLDSeth James: Wills Domain, Margaret River WAGuestsIlona Topolcsanyi    https://www.cone11.com.au/Josh Lopez is the chef and owner of The Wolfe East Brisbane, Queensland https://www.thewolferestaurant.com/Dan Hunter is the chef and owner of Brae, Birregurra, Victoria   https://braerestaurant.com/ Full Show NotesRead the highlights and takeaways, and see photos of Ilona's work with Josh Lopez and Dan Hunter on the Show Notes page for this episode on the Australian Design Centre website.CreditsObject is hosted by Lisa Cahill, with production by Jane Curtis and sound engineering by John Jacobs. It's made with support from Visions of Australia regional touring program.

From production pottery to learning and teaching ceramics, museum collections and personal collecting - this season of Object is all about making with clay. Over five episodes you’ll meet Ilona Topolcsanyai, Brett Stone, Jane Sawyer, Robyn Phelan and Eva Czernis-Ryl.You’ll hear from other artists too, and their advice for makers.Object is a podcast by the Australian Design Centre. It’s hosted by Lisa Cahill, with production by Jane Curtis and sound engineering by John Jacobs.

A deep drive into seven key works by Helen Britton, from her current exhibition The Story So Far. In this audio tour, Helen describes how she made each work, her techniques and materials, and the stories behind each piece.The Story So Far is a major solo, touring exhibition that honors Helen Britton as the tenth artist in the series Living Treasures: Masters of Australian Craft. Living Treasures recognises eminent Australian craftspeople, celebrating their mastery of skill, their achievements and the unique place they occupy in the national design culture. Featured works and excerpts1. My Godmother's HouseA set of 20 photographs taken in northeast New South Wales near Yamba on Yaegl Country. Over several years I took over 700 photographs. We've selected twenty for the exhibition. What was really fascinating for me were the collections within the house. Shell collections, stone collections, gathered objects and how they were arranged. And then, of course, the path of time. So you'll often see the dust. I was very interested in photographing the the dust as a metaphor, the material reality of time passing.2.  The Mysterious Path of Matter and TimeA small cabinet framed by branches. A work made out of my childhood detritus [using] a cabinet that I made about 30 years ago, and cement branches.  The cement branches does give it a ritualised, almost relique object-like atmosphere, which is what I was trying to achieve. It's also in the true sense of the expression cemented into eternity. Cement is a very interesting material because it is so stable and has such a long life. And it's an ancient material, which I think we also tend to forget.3.  Junkyard Three A monumental necklace made of many parts. I've created a piece using absolutely everything I could find leftover in my studio, and put it together. I've used the circle and bone catch for many years. For me, it is an interesting way to close a necklace, a circular necklace, with these two symbols.And the rest of the pieces in Junkyard Three are often leftovers from my industrial series. Works preoccupied with the kind of environment that I grew up with in Newcastle in the 1970s and early eighties where BHP was kind of at its peak. For example, all of the barrels and rods that you would see lying around on the periphery of industrial areas.4.  The Magic Cupboard When I was told I was to be the Living Treasure of Australian Craft, I decided to create a kind of 'cabinet of wonders' that included everything going back to my early childhood, the things that kind of triggered my imagination over all of those years. And include archival works. On the bottom shelf, there is a porcelain plate painted by my godmother that she made that as a gift to me. She was very interested to make something not conventional, because she thought I'd appreciate that more. It's quite a dynamic drawing of geckos. On the top shelf are a pile of airplanes made by my brother.In the drawer, some of my dolls, put to rest.5.  The Big and The Small ThingsA large wall piece of paintings and jewelry depicting animals and bones.  I guess the bones make this work much more sombre. They're often... what's left over. After we've eaten an animal or what's left...

Helen Britton is a multidisciplinary Australian artist based in Munich, Germany. Her practice includes jewellery, sculpture, drawings, stencils and installations, and is informed by popular culture, threatened traditions, environmental destruction and human anxiety.The Australian Design Centre honoured Helen as a Living Treasure in 2025.GuestsJulie Ewington is a writer and a curator and sometimes a broadcaster living on Gadigal land in Sydney.Show highlights and takeawaysChildhood in Newcastle [00:05]Growing up in working-class Newcastle exposed Helen to industrial processes that became foundational to her art. "We were taken as tiny children to the BHP and we watched them pour tonnes of molten steel... Watching this steel for making ships being poured... It was fairly impressive." These early experiences with molten materials and manufacturing processes sparked her lifelong fascination with material transformation.Creative making was everyday life [5:00]Helen's mother encouraged constant making. "You'd spend your weekend, doing stuff making things, gluing things together, sewing things, not necessarily always practical things." Her grandfather was a blacksmith who even shod horses for the Australian Olympic team, embedding craft traditions deeply in family life.Making material connections[6:00]Helen was drawn to understanding material processes from start to finish. "Thinking about the connection between the grass and the cow, and the milk and the butter and the ice cream that was made. This was really important to me as a child. I loved making those connections in my mind."Helen's Godmother's house [7:00]At her godmother Kath Carr's house on Yaegl Country near Yamba, Helen painted porcelain, pressed flowers, and made jewelry with polished stones. "There was never any hierarchy of what you did, it flowed from one activity to the other. And I think that was incredibly formative for me as an artist."Comprehensive art education foundation [10:00]Helen completed 12 years of university education across Newcastle, Sydney, and Perth. At Edith Cowan University, she did "13 hours a week for three years" of life drawing, plus printmaking, textiles, painting, photography, and cultural studies - building a thorough technical foundation.Julie Ewington's discovery moment [11:00]Curator Julie Ewington describes receiving Helen's master's degree work: "A beautiful wooden little box... with 15 or 20 objects each in their own little compartment... mostly broaches... unexpected combinations of things like pearls and plastic, silver and tin. She's no respecter of conventional value."Research drives material choices [14:00]Helen's material selection comes from deep historical research. "I get fascinated by certain, often objects or practices or geographical locations and their histories. And so I will then go and find out about them. I'll research them."Glass birds led to Thuringia discovery [14:20]A chance encounter at a Munich Christmas market with glass ornaments led to exploring the 500-year history of glassmaking in Thuringia's forests. Glass makers settled there in 1497 after being "driven from through one of the many wars out of Bohemia" because the region had "forests, sand and water" - everything needed for glassmaking.Long-term process [17:00]Helen's research and creative process happens over many years. Describing her work in Thuringia, "I started in 2001, researching there... And I couldn't make work about that experience until 2007. And then subsequent exhibitions around the glass animals happened in 2009, 2018, 2020...

In this bonus episode, you’ll meet one of the key people behind the original idea for the Living Treasures series of exhibitions - Brian Parkes. How did the idea of recognising Australia’s master craftspeople become a reality? Who chooses Living Treasures? How was the first Living Treasures exhibition made on a shoestring budget, maybe some shopping at IKEA?  How important are exhibitions like these to regional art galleries? How do audiences react? And hear about the two Living Treasures Lisa Cahill didn’t get to interview – the late glass artist Klaus Moje and South Australian glass artist Nick Mount. Brian is the CEO and Artistic Director of JamFactory, Adelaide’s leading craft and design centre, where he's been for over a decade. Before that, he was Associate Director of the Australian Design Centre 2000 - 2010 (when the Centre was called Object. Now you know where the podcast name came from!). Brian Parkes lives and works on Kaurna Country in Adelaide. Guests Steve Pozel was the former CEO and Artistic Director of the Australian Design Centre who developed and championed the idea for the Living Treasures series during his 16 year tenure with the organisation. He’s now an Innovation Strategist and Facilitator in mindful leadership. Bridget Guthrie is the director of Tamworth Regional Gallery in NSW. Show highlights and takeaways Inspiration from National Gallery of Australia Susan Cohn exhibition [1:47] In 2000, the National Gallery of Australia made a national touring exhibition of the work of Australian jeweller Susan Cohn, Techno Craft: The work of Susan Cohn 1980 – 2000. It toured to Brisbane, Sydney, Adelaide, Hobart, Perth and Melbourne into 2001. Brian Parkes says it was the first time that a major institution had done a big touring exhibition of someone who came out of the crafts sector. The late Jim Logan, Assistant Curator of Australian Decorative Arts at the National Gallery of Australia, curated the exhibition and Brian Parkes worked with him during this time. "All the hallmarks of the Living Treasure series were borrowed from that exhibition, which Jim had always intended as an ongoing series of shows, celebrating the extraordinary wealth of talent in the kind of decorative arts scene in Australia, " Brian says. Who nominates and selects craftspeople to be Living Treasures? [5:30] First, a jury was appointed by the "key figures - curatorially, academically, theoretically", Brian say. Then, the nominations process lets Australian craft sector organisations, as well as individual practitioners, to nominate Australian artists to be a Living Treasure.  The criteria to be nominated as a Living Treasure [6:12] There are some specific...

With a career spanning five decades, Robert Baines is one of Australia’s leading gold and silver smiths.  Robert Baines makes intricately constructed jewellery and large-scale, sculptural, complex wire works that often combine gold and silver with plastic and powder-coated elements. Hear how Robert researched high Classical Greek gold jewellery and remade it using 2000 year old techniques, how colour takes on many meanings in his jewellery, and how a chance meeting in a gallery changed everything. Robert’s work can be found in all major public galleries, as well as internationally in significant museums like the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. The Australia Design Centre made Robert Baines a Living Treasure: Master of Australian Craft in 2010. Robert Baines lives and works on Wurundjeri Country in Melbourne. 

In a career spanning seven decades, Les Blakebrough has become one of Australia's most acclaimed and influential ceramic artists.The ceramics of Les Blakebrough range from earthy functional ware to more delicate forms, made with the Southern Ice Porcelain - a material described as having ‘the whiteness of snow and translucent of ice'. In fact, he used Southern Ice Porcelain to make Tasmania’s wedding gift to Mary Donaldson and Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark.In this episode, you’ll hear about Les’ experiments in the early days, why he went from ceramics maker to porcelain producer, and how Australia’s first national craft association was founded.The Australia Design Centre made Les Blakebrough its very first Living Treasure: Master of Australian Craft in 2004. His Living Treasures exhibition toured nationally until 2007.Les Blakebrough lives on Dharawal Country in the Illawarra region of NSW.uestsGrace Cochrane AM is a writer, curator and historian.Ben Richardson is a ceramics artist and runs Ridgeline Pottery Tasmania. He studied under Les, taught alongside him and was a co-researcher on Southern Ice Porcelain.Anne Ferran is one of Australia’s leading photographic artists. Anne is also Les Blakebrough's partner.Show highlights and takeawaysStudying under the Australian 'masters’ of ceramics – Peter Rushforth and Mollie Douglas [5:30 mins]Les Blakebrough went to art school at East Sydney Technical College to study painting, in the 1950s. He says, "I wanted to be a painter and sadly, I was in love with the idea of being a painter. It didn't gel." Les made the fortuitous switch to ceramics, at a time when iconic teachers led the department. Peter Rushforth (1920–2015) was a master potter largely responsible for introducing ancient Japanese ceramic traditions to Australia. Mollie Douglas (1920 – 2011) was a founding member of the Potters' Society of New South Wales, along with Peter Rushforth.Early experiments with Col Levy [6:45 mins]Les met Col Levy at art school. Col had originally trained as a manual arts teacher, and studied pottery at East Sydney Technical College (now the National Art School) in Sydney in 1956. Les says, "There was a kind of chemistry that was involved that Col Levy introduced me to, and we had a collaboration going. We were desperately trying to make high temperature, stoneware and porcelain and Levy and I would sort of do these experiments, trying to make reduced glazes. And the kilns weren't set up to do it. "Inventing an Australian-made, exportable porcelain [11:00 mins]Through the 1970s and 1980s, Les felt the white clay he was using "never quite came up to the mark."He wanted a clay you could knead, throw well, and handle easily. Most of all, Les wanted it "very white. I wanted it to be whiter than

Liz Williamson is known as a ‘matriarch of Australian weaving’. Hear what Liz’s favourite ‘magical’ material is, how darning and repair informs her work, and how she works with weavers around the world.Liz Williamson is an internationally respected textile artist who specialises in hand-woven textiles.Sometimes wearable and sometimes for display, the texture of Liz’s work is distinctive. It’s woven flat, and the materials she uses create crushed, crinkled surfaces and three dimensional shapes like loops and sacks.Australia Design Centre made Liz Williamson a Living Treasure in 2007, and her Living Treasures exhibition toured nationally until 2011.Liz lives and works on Gadigal and Wongal country in inner west Sydney.GuestsIlka White is an artist whose practice spans textiles, teaching, cross-disciplinary collaboration and art-in-community. ilkawhite.com.auAnna Waldman is a former curator at the Art Gallery of New South Wales and was the director of the Australia Council's Visual Arts and Craft board.Jon Goulder is an award winning, fourth generation furniture maker and is an Australian Design Honouree. jongoulder.comShow highlights and takeawaysHow long does it take to weave something? [3:50 mins]People often ask Liz Williamson how long it takes to weave something. She weaves panels that are about 1.2m long in two to four hours.Why fine worsted wool is 'magical' [4:40 mins]Fine worsted wool is material that Liz worked with a lot in the 980s and 1990s, to weave wraps and scarves. She calls it 'magical' because she says it can respond to different treatments. You can wash it, you can felt it, or you can combine it with materials that felt. The worsted wool doesn’t felt that much by itself but you combine it with other wool that does felt, creating textured surfaces.Australia's Indigenous fibre tradition is one of the most amazing in the world [6:25 mins]Liz feels very privileged to live in a country that has such a wonderful, rich fibre tradition, saying, "The Indigenous fibre art tradition is one of the most amazing in the world. It's been wonderful to see that tradition come to fore with artists representing Australia, internationally with Yvonne Koolmatrie.” Australian Indigenous weaving traditions have broadened our thinking around weaving, she says, to include many shapes and forms.Woven loops and sacks [7:35 mins]Liz's work includes three-dimensional structures like woven loops and sacks. "The woven loops came from a project sitting at the loom, trying to work out how I could explore this idea of protection. I was creating a three-dimensional structure," she explains. Some of the loops are made just with plain weave, with their shape and texture coming from how she's combined different materials.Experimentation with the material leading [7:50 mins]Liz...

Jeweller Marian Hosking makes silver brooches, necklaces and vessels that are translations of the Australian bush. Hear why Marian thinks that souvenirs are underrated; the reason she still makes brooches and how she co-founded the iconic Melbourne open access jewellery space, Workshop 3000.Marian Hosking is an award-winning artist, and is former Head of Jewellery at Charles Sturt University, The Riverina College of Advanced Education and Art Design and Architecture at Monash University.Marian Hosking collects, draws or takes photos of Australian plants and flowers to make silver objects like brooches, necklaces and vessels. She often oxidises and heats the silver to blacken it. Using techniques of drilling and sawpiercing, Marian's work is delicate but strong, detailing fragments of the Australian bush.The Australian Design Centre honoured Marian as a Living Treasure in 2007.Marian lives and works on the ancestral lands of the Boon Wurrung people, on the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria.GuestsKatie Scott is the Director of Gallery Funaki. www.instagram.com/galleryfunakiSu San Cohn is the co-founder of Workshop 3000 and is one of Australia's finest jewellers and metalsmiths. She is an Australian Design Honouree and represented by Anna Schwartz Gallery.Show highlights and takeawaysThe Australian bush isn't all the same [4:04 mins]For Marian, the Australian Bush is never the same. She likes to draw attention to something you think you know, like an ordinary gum leaf, and isolate a single element or a particular quality.In the first lockdown, Marian thought there was no point in making [4:38 mins]When Melbourne and regional Victoria went into extended lockdowns in 2020, Marian thought, "There's no point in making anything because there's already too much of everything in the world. And making things is just a waste of time and space."She stopped making for a time, but kept up with other parts of her practice, like closely observing nature, sketching and taking photos of local plant and bird life.Swans got Marian making again [4:54 mins]Lockdown restricted movement to 5km from your home. Luckily for Marian, she could regularly visit the Tootgarook Swamp, a peat regenerating wetland on the Mornington Peninsula that's home to birds, animals and frogs."And I noticed the swans, the black swans. I've worked over a number of years with swans, in England and Australia, the black and the white. These swans and little baby cygnets were just so appealing." Marian has just finished a vessel depicting these swans and credits them for getting her making again.Rejecting 'sentimental' as a derogatory term [6:28 mins]"In fine art terms, being sentimental or a souvenir is often a derogatory term," Marian says. "Actually what I do is both souvenir and sentimental. And I really value both of those aspects of my making. I love the souvenir."She says another reason that jewellery is

Prue Venables is one of Australia’s most accomplished ceramics artist. Hear how Prue went from a career in science to pottery; how three tiny porcelain jugs changed everything for her; and her controversial advice for new makers.Prue Venables makes porcelain vessels - like jugs and beakers, ladles and colanders - that elevate humble domestic objects to exquisite works of art. They are smooth and elegant, with a minimal colour palette of white, metallic black and sometimes red.The Australian Design Centre honoured Prue as a Living Treasure in 2019.GuestsPrue Venables http://pruevenables.com/Neville French, former Teacher and Coordinator of Ceramics, Arts Academy, University of Ballarat. He taught with Prue for many years. https://www.nevillefrench.com/Show highlights and takeawaysThe foundation of me [10:32 mins]Prue's earlier study of music and science became the foundation of how she thinks and approaches her craft. "The thinking and the discipline, the asking questions and exploring things."Approach with an inquisitive mind [11:03 mins]Prue credits her curiosity to her science and music teachers, "people who were really inventive and exploratory thinkers....I watched what they did and what they said to me and it just built up a sort of way of being really. "Throwing multiple things at the same time [12:13 mins]Using a number of wheels at the same time is standard practice for Prue. She says that with porcelain, it's often actually better to make something on and let it sit and not move it. As soon as you move it in any way, you get this sort of ripple response in the body of the clay, and that could come out in the firing.Handmade tools [12:55 mins]Many of Prue's ceramics tools are made by her out of junk, as she puts it - old hacks saw blades ground down into make a little sharp knife or something to almost grate the clay. She says that when she can't find these handmade tools, she can't work. "It's like you become dependent on these little things."The most important technique for porcelain [16:26]Prue believes the most important technique for working with porcelain is that you have to listen to it because it'll tell you what it'll let you do. She says that what's needed with porcelain is "a sense of, that it's always a developing knowledge.That you start with the material. You have to really feel what the material wants to let you do, and then explore that. And gradually, gradually gradually move the edges and change the parameters as you go. In a way you have to respect what it's telling you."Visiting Takeshi Yasuda in the pottery workshops of Jingdezhen, China [18: 24 mins]Prue visited Jingdezhen on the insistence of Japanese potter and director of the pottery workshop there, Takeshi Yasuda. Prue describes how Takeshi used to say, "Why haven't you come? You should come. if you don't come soon, it'll be too late!"Prue describes it as amazing, seeing ceramic works that she couldn't believe possible like big tiles that have four meters by one meter wide or one and a half meters wide.An artist's path is not an easy path [20:49 mins]"The hardest thing is accepting it's something in yourself that needs that, and then just doing it."So many times I've met people who've said, Oh, I really want to do this. But everyone tells me that you can't make a living or you can't do this, or you shouldn't, or you should...