The work:Christine Murphy, Small Smoke Fired Vessel. Wheel thrown stoneware ceramic, 8.5 x 9cm. $65.Courtesy: the artist
Ceramic art and studio pottery is a craft that derives its beauty from a combination of skill and chance; the final piece is a blend between the artistry of shaping forms and applying glazes or slips, and the changeable and sometimes capricious endeavour of firing. The practice of artist Christine Murphy uses the serendipitous nature of smoke firing which is apparent in her work Small Smoke Fired Vessel. Instead of glazing the vessel, she has left the marks on the naked clay left by the smoke and flames of the kiln. “Every piece is uniquely patterned and marked by the process and the elemental conditions at the time of firing,” says Murphy, with this work embellished with organic passages of white ash alongside copper-coloured deposits. This patina ebbs and flows across the curved surface, an ashy shadow rising from the base giving it a unique sense of depth and weight. To achieve this effect, the artist chose locally sourced sawdust of Cedar, Merabu and New Guinea Rosewood, alongside foraged and repurposed organic materials such as eggshells, coffee grounds, and seaweed. By embracing the ebb and flow of her medium, Murphy has produced a piece that pays tribute to the practicalities of ceramics and celebrates the pure beauty of clay.