Nancy Whittaker, Tarrangower Times
On 13 and 14 November, several local ceramic artists are participating in the annual Australian Ceramics Open Studios. They include Tracey Koolen, Andrea Ebsworth, Felicity Ceramics and Angie Robinson.
The Australian Ceramics Open Studios have a very informative brochure, which you can pick up around town at places like the Maldon Post Office, The Book Wolf, Much Ado and Très Doux Très Beau. They are part of a group of 15 participating in the Central Victorian Clay Trail.
I recently met up with Ellen Hansa, the longest serving local potter in the area. She told me about how there used to be four local potters 50 years ago, who made a living entirely by selling their utilitarian pottery, such as mugs, bowls and plates for every day use. Times and fashions have changed and Ellen has recently retired from teaching ceramics to concentrate on her own ceramic sculptures. This year Ellen Hansa will not officially open her studio.
Meanwhile Tracey Koolen has taken up the teaching mantle, and is offering workshops, which had just started before COVID lockdowns in 2020. Now that the state is gradually easing restrictions, she is hoping to offer classes in clay design, construction and decoration. Classes will also involve wheel throwing and slip casting in her lovely light and airy studio. All suitably socially distanced.
Just outside Maldon, Andrea Ebsworth has been busy growing food to fill in the time she would normally spend on ceramics, due to COVID. She has also worked on some amazing mosaics, including a community project with the Maldon Pre School. Each child made a clay tile with potter Ann Ferguson and Andrea pulled it all together with Pre-school teacher Leone Wallace. The mosaic mural will be installed on November 4. A formal launch will take place over the next month.
And then there are Angie Robinson’s colourful creations in Walmer. Not to mention a whole lot more studios in Castlemaine and surrounds. There will be a total of 15 studios open on 13 and 14 November (COVID willing), between 10am and 5pm, for you to unearth your local potters in Central Victoria from Maldon as far as Taradale and in between.
For further information check the website www.centralvictorianpotters.org or central_ victorian_potters on Instagram https://bit.ly/2ZzWDIY.
This article appeared in the Tarrangower Times, 5 November 2021.
