Studio Visits
- Cindy Watson
- Jul 30
- 4 min read
What a privilege it has been to visit some of our amazing artists this week. They have been so welcoming and generous with their time, and display an enviable depth of talent and artistry.
Kore Earth Ceramics
My first visit was to Liz Berry in her spacious ceramics studio.
Liz is preparing for her first exhibition in October, which will coincide with the Australian Ceramics Triennale. Liz’s well-organised workshop is a treasure trove of glossy and textured ceramic pieces in mainly earthy tones- so beautiful, so tactile! She is drawn to the colours and textures found in minerals and eroded rock formations and the natural palette of the earth itself, and her work feels both timeless and grounded – artefacts of the present, echoing the past.
Liz’s work is a mix of functional and aesthetic- all beautifully crafted and eminently touchable. In her spare time(!) Liz keeps busy as Vice President of The Ceramic Arts Association of WA, as well as being a leading light in organising the Open Studios events.
Liz will be hosting five other artists at Open Studios- Anna Van Dijk (drawing), Rob Walker (sculpture, metal, textiles), Rebecca Tester (ceramics), Jacqui Walker (ceramics, Mixed Media, Textiles, drawing) and Ren Masetti (jewellery). If the past is anything to go by, Kore Earth Ceramics will be a hive of activity in October.
Pene Turner Creative
Pene Turner’s large studio would be the envy of any artisan, as it has several distinct and separate “making” spaces, catering to her varied interests- woodworking, textiles, painting and ceramics. Her showroom is a tranquil area dedicated to delicate and evocative fibre art, and the display of her beautiful wooden forms.
Soft, fluid lines are inspired by the land and coastlines of Western Australia. Working almost entirely with natural products provides the link connecting all of Pene’s creations to her love of nature, and the inspiration it consistently provides.
Pene’s work is testament to her continually evolving practise and depth of experience. Her wooden pieces are usually created with hand tools alone, taking many hours to complete, with the finished art works becoming a panacea for the senses.
Pene will be hosting three other artists at her studio- Emma Lashmar, (glass, visual art), Lee Potter (sculpture, metal) and Bethamy Linton, (jewellery, metal).
You can read an interview with Pene here:
Or check her out at:
The Glass Flower Bar
Jennie Merritt has been melting glass to create her jewellery and botanical creations since 2009. She specialises in making glass flowers, turning them into unique arrangements and sculptural pieces. Every leaf and petal is created hot in the flame using tools and gravity, and then kiln annealed for durability. Jennie also creates bespoke Remembrance Glass pieces for those who want to commemorate their lost loved ones. Using ashes in glass is a unique offering that gives Jennie great satisfaction and a sense of meaning to her work as a glass artist.
Stepping into Jennie’s airy Whiteman Park studio/workshop gives a glimpse into all facets of her work- the raw materials, the tools, torches and kiln, as well as the beautiful and colourful finished products.
Jennie speaks with passion and knowledge about her work, and graciously offered me the experience of making a glass bead, which was much trickier than I had imagined, requiring nerve, dexterity and tremendous motor control. She makes it look so easy!
You can check out her video here:
Log Cabin Art houses the studios of two very creative people- Belinda and Ian Kay. Between them they cover a wide range of art styles and processes. Belinda uses fibre, glass, mixed media and paint to express her connection to the world around her, whilst Ian keeps traditional skills alive with his metal, mixed media and wood sculptures.
Moving to the hills has given Belinda Kay the impetus to venture into other areas of mark making and creating new textures on which to work. This has incorporated embroidery on printed backgrounds and experimenting with new papers and substrates, more exploration with mixed media…it is an ongoing, exciting investigation into the “what if?” and “let’s give it a try.”
To step into Belinda’s studio is to be enveloped by a sense of warmth and peace, a safe place to experiment, explore and create. The many different shelves and drawers and their contents attest to Belinda’s diverse, but always connected, artistic interests. Her quiet passion for all things creative is palpable and the charming log cabin house and garden, which she shares with Ian, exude a genuine connection to the Hills’ way of life.
After a career in forestry, journalism and manufacturing, amongst other endeavours, Ian Kay’s current passion is to create award winning sculpture and 2D mixed media pieces that celebrate his affinity with recycled timber and found objects. A special fascination for Ian is the fact that he can do this by adapting a wide range of tools and technical skills that he has acquired in his every day work endeavours.
Ian’s wood/metal working skills are in high demand, but he finds the time to work on his own creations using reclaimed timber and metal, producing beautifully tactile items which offer a quiet nod to skills that have been honed over a lifetime.
I came away from my visit to The Log Cabin Studio with the desire to curate my own workspace and create a similar warm and peaceful creative sanctuary.
Many thanks to the artists who so kindly made time to talk to me about their work- what a treat!
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