Avi Amesbury     Potter

Curriculum vitae

... Avi Amesbury uses the making process, involving the use of materials collected from the land, as a means to explore the multi-layered and intricate relationships between landscape, experience and memory. The forms combine slab and slipcast construction with stamping, a technique she uses to express conceptual rather than decorative concerns. Stylised plaster stamps based on Australian natural symbols are impressed into slabs of soft clay with the images merging, overlapping and distorting each other, creating an apparently random layering of texture and fossil-like imagery. This process of mark making allows the exploration of a personal relationship with the Australian landscape while creating allusions with its physical and spiritual presence, both past and present.

Collections

• Stanthorpe Regional Art Gallery, Queensland
• Tuggeranong Arts Centre, Canberra
• Gold Coast City Art Gallery, Queensland
• Office of the Mayor, Kasama, Japan
• National Institute of the Arts, Australian National University

Private collections

• Australia
• People's Republic of China
• Republic of Korea
• United States

Selected solo exhibitions

2006	Presence of memory - Cooma, New South Wales
2004	A land's journey: An impression - Craft ACT, Canberra
2003	Whispers of time - Strathnairn Gallery, Canberra

Selected group exhibitions

2008	Sidney Myer Fund International Ceramic Award - Shepparton Art Gallery, Shepparton, Victoria
2008	Stanthorpe Art Prize 08 - Stanthorpe Regional Art Gallery, Queensland
2007	Townsville Ceramic Awards, Perc Tucker Regional Gallery, Townsville
2007	tracelines, New Craft Future Voices International Craft Conference, University of Dundee, Scotland
2007	30th Alice Craft Acquisition, Alice Springs
2007	Convergence: A north/south discourse, 41st Annual Conference, NCECA 2007, Kentucky, USA
2006	Cowra Festival Art Awards - Cowra Art Gallery, Cowra
2006	Impact, Watling Galleries, Brisbane
2006	Annual Gold Coast international ceramic art award - Gold Coast City Art Gallery
2006	The colour of white - Sturt Gallery, Mittagong
2006	Crust - touring exhibition, Gold City Art Gallery, Queensland
2006	2 Materials - Craft ACT Accredited Professional Members Exhibition, Canberra
2006	Stanthorpe Art Prize, Stanthorpe Art Gallery, Stanthorpe
2005	Annual Gold Coast international ceramic art award - Gold Coast City Art Gallery
2005	Valency: Combining creative processes - CSIRO Discovery, Canberra
2005	29th Alice craft acquisition - Araluen Galleries, Alice Springs
2005	Earth water fire - Tuggeranong Art Gallery, Canberra
2005	Smoke free zone - ANCA Gallery, Canberra
2005	Cloth and clay: Ancient traditional and new perspectives - Strathnairn Gallery, Canberra
2004	Annual Gold Coast international ceramic art award - Gold Coast City Art Gallery
2004	The essence of structure - Foyer Gallery, Canberra
2003	Annual Gold Coast international ceramic art award - Gold Coast City Art Gallery
2003	Next wave - Ceramic Art Gallery, Sydney
2003	Alliance Française - Canberra, Canberra

Papers and presentations

2007	Global communications: Work + Clay, National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts (NCECA) 41st Annual Conference, Kentucky, USA
2006	Valuing online communications and documentation in a global market, Verge: 11th National Ceramic Conference, Brisbane
2005	Contemporary ceramic practice in a digital age, Australian National University, Canberra
2004	Contemporary ceramic practice and the influence of computer technology, Australian National University, Canberra
2002	The development of ceramics in Australia

Commissions

2005

Australian Local Government Association for the 2005 National General Assembly of Local Government. Pieces presented as gifts to: The Prime Minister of Auatralia, The Hon John Howard MP; The Leader of the Opposition, The Hon Kim Beazley MP; 5 national speakers - Mr Phillip Adams AO FRSA, Mr. Bernard Salt. Mr. Jim Soorley, Brigadier David Chalmers AM CSA ADC, and Senator Kate Lundy; and a 20 member delegation from the People's Republic of China and Republic of Korea.

Awards, grants and scholarships

2007	Janet Holmes á Court Artist Grant, National Association for the Visual Arts
2007	ActewAGL Grant
2006	Merit Award, Open hand formed and sculpture, Port Hacking Exhibition
2006	artsACT Artist Presentation Grant
2006	Acquisition Award, Stanthorpe Arts Festival
2006	Craft ACT Craft-in-Site Presentation and Promotion Grant
2005	Raglan Gallery Exhibition Award
2004	Clayworks Award, Canberra Potters' Society Members Exhibition
2003	Acquisition Award, Annual Gold Coast International Ceramic Art Award
2003	Craft ACT Exhibition Award, Australia
2002	Strathnairn Arts Association Inc. Exhibition Award, Australia
2002	Lyle T. Cullen Memorial Prize, Australia
2002	EASS Alliance Française of Canberra Exhibition Award, Australia
2002	EASS Clayworks Award, Australia
2000	Student Exchange Scholarship, Australian National University

Selected citations

• Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design, 2007, 'Future Voices Celebrating Diversity', Exhibition Proceedings
• Diana Hare,2007, 'The Conversations of Nine', Ceramics Art and Perception International, Issue 69, September-November
• Ron Cerabona, 2007, Our skills made the craft cut, The Canberra Times, 4 August
• Janet DeBoos, 2006, Review Impact
• McMahon A, 2005, 'Review', Valency: Combining creative processes.
• Higgins J, 2005, 'The scientific art', State of the Arts.
• Campbell D, 2005, 'Earth water fire', The Journal of Australian Ceramics, vol. 44#1
• Marlins J, 2005, 'Canberra Potters' Society', The Journal of Australian Ceramics,vol. 44#1
• Sandland B, 2004, 'Who to look out for', Artlook, iss. 1
• McMahon A, 2004, 'Six approaches to ceramics in one show', The Canberra Times, 30 April
• Foulds G, 2004, '22nd Gold Coast International Ceramic Art Award', Craft Arts International, no. 60
• Crick J, Kenchington C, Pemberton K, 2003, 'Excellence and innovation', Pottery in Australia, vol. 42 no. 3
• McMahon A, 2003, 'Solo display of works with individual stamp of memory and expression', The Canberra Times, 25 November
• Cerabona R, 2003, 'Whispers of colour', The Canberra Times, 13 November
• Cerabona R, 2003, 'Menage a trios', The Canberra Times, 19 June

Studies and qualifications

2002	Bachelor of Arts with Honours, Australian National University, Canberra
2000	Exchange program, HongIk University, Seoul, Republic of Korea