Elemental Magic
- Cindy Watson
- Jul 1
- 3 min read
Our next two featured artists work a kind of magic as they take what was once essentially mud and sand and transform them into beautiful works of art. The mediums might be different, but their passion for form and colour is clear. Jane Newton and Silvana Ferrario have been involved with the Open Studios Art Trail for over a decade, happily sharing their work and knowledge with other artists and visitors, whilst continuing to create lovely work.
In her own words Jane Newton gets “a buzz out of creating” and has been an avid potter for over 50 years. Working with clay, both hand-building and on the wheel, has also been her way of finding relief from the stressors of a busy career. In fact it was her work as a nurse that indirectly led Jane to taking up pottery. Living in the nurses’ quarters attached to a hospital in London she would often cut through a local High School on her way home, and discovered that they were advertising pottery lessons: the die was cast, and Jane has been elbows deep in clay ever since.
In 1973 Jane and her husband set off on the adventure of a lifetime, travelling to Australia overland- from Dover to Delhi, and eventually reaching Darwin. They then made it to WA, and moved to Sawyers Valley in 1974, clearing their block, building a house and raising a family. Through it all Jane has continued to learn about and develop her ability with clay, and remains a prolific producer of both large and small pieces.
Jane’s studio has grown apace with her output and there are nooks and crannies filled with both functional and sculptural pieces, both in her sprawling studio spaces and garden.
I asked Jane about her process and she told me that she always has in mind what she’s going to make from the basic form to the final decoration. She likes to take an idea and push it as far as possible until she feels that it’s done, and then move on to something else. Thus you might see a range of decorative wall discs with cut-outs in her signature blue glaze and terracotta, or her current large almost gourd-like jugs with plaited handles, and small slab-built houses. Jane’s passion for ceramics is plain to see, and she has also found the time to pass on her knowledge to others teaching from her home studio.
Whilst studying at Midland TAFE Jane was encouraged to create collections of related work, and out of this was born a series of pieces inspired by Medieval art depicting fish, owls and other birds. Some of Jane’s work also leans towards the whimsical featuring gnomes and spiky echidnas.
Drawing inspiration from the Jarrah Forest, the rich and vibrant colours of the bush, and the abundant wildlife of her adoptive home Jane harnesses her passion for clay to create expressive and unique ceramics. She has been a stalwart member of MHOS for over a decade, and this year will be transporting many of her pieces to be a guest artist at Wit’s End Art Studio in Mundaring.
From Kat Hardwick:
I visited Silvana Ferrario on a beautiful Autumn morning. Silvana, a glass artist, has been one of the main driving forces behind Mundaring Hills Open Studios for many years and we owe a lot of its success to her unflagging efforts, so it was a treat to sit down with her and talk about life, art, and everything in between.
Silvana was raised in the UK, with an Italian background; a strong creative streak runs through the family, so drawing and making were always part of her life.
While studying engineering in London, Silvana was endlessly inspired by the art in the museums, galleries and markets, eventually leading her to take up glass lead lighting as a hobby. The real artistic awakening however, happened as a result of learning fused glass techniques, which opened up a whole world of experimentation and creative possibilities. Perhaps as a result of her sub-sea engineering degree, Silvana has an enduring fascination with water that expresses itself in her art; whether it be in the colours, the patterns of eddies and ripples, or the graceful motion and shapes reminiscent of aquatic life. The fluidity and transparency of glass make it the perfect medium to render the qualities of water into solid form.
When feeling nostalgic, Silvana will draw inspiration from her Italian heritage, and since moving to the Perth Hills, the surrounding bush has increasingly become her muse.
Silvana pivoted to Art full time after a cancer diagnosis turned her life upside down, forcing her to re-evaluate what mattered to her; creating has since been her solace and refuge from life’s vagaries.
You can see her beautiful work in her gallery set on a peaceful property in Mahogany Creek. She also runs frequent workshops.
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