Emerge from the Fire

Emerge from the Fire

Finalist 47th Muswellbrook Art Prize 2020

Artwork Statement

After the fires, walking with my dog amongst the burnt over bush in what appeared to be a landscape devoid of life.  Under the unforgiving sun, in dry air scented of ash, the fawn dog turning black blends into the landscape as we move together. Not long after, the rain washed away the darkness, bringing with it the fresh scent of life as grasses and epicormic tree buds Emerge from the Fire.  Black has given way to hope as beautiful colours of bush-life return.  Australia must embrace new beginnings and work to protect all our precious flora and fauna.

Medium

Hand manipulated recycled studio stoneware shaped the dry-cracked texture of tree bark. Copper black oxide bisque kilned at 1000 degrees Celcius created the burnt-scar surface finish, witnessed as Australian bush fires crossed our lands.

Delicate porcelain was selected to form epicormic tree buds that emerge; fragile and precious, yet ultimately resilient. A number of underglaze colours, and clear glaze that was finish kilned at 1280 degrees Celcius. Those colors were combined on the tree buds to contrast the black tree bark.