Congratulations to the Award Winners
YVETTE BATTEN
Last updated 10:29, August 19 2016
If you give someone a piece of clay, the end result will always be so different.
That's one of the highlights of the New Plymouth Potters 43rd Annual Exhibition says club president Charles Holm, who welcomes people to view the selection of pieces at the JD Reid Gallery.
"One of the things that I'm impressed with is everyone starts off with a piece of clay and you see there are no two things that are the same."
He was delighted with this year's entries from 21 potters. "I think there's a lot of new members joined who are extremely keen. I think also with Katerina being in the club, it's certainly raised the standard of everyone's exhibits."
He's talking about exhibition selector Katerina Smoldyreva, who comes from Russia and just moved to New Plymouth after spending 16 years teaching ceramic sculpture at the Dubai International Art Centre.
"I was so happy to come here to New Plymouth and find this fantastic old vicarage pottery club," she said. "I must say I've found a home."
Smoldyreva wasn't surprised by the quality of the work for the exhibition and describes the experience of selector as pleasant.
"On this exhibition the quality was of a very high standard and just confirms again my opinion that here in New Zealand people, when they have an enthusiasm for something, they really immerse themselves into it."
Kathryn Gates was the Supreme Winner. "I was absolutely thrilled because it's just a real honour to receive an award in our exhibition," she said.
Graham Mulvay was selected as the Merit Award winner, for what he estimates is his third time. The last occasion about five years ago. "It means that I'm still up there somewhere," he laughs.
"Frankly I was surprised because generally when you've won the Supreme Award the year before you don't always get a look in. Obviously the selector liked my work, which is really good."
He teaches classes for beginner potters at the club and was impressed with the diversity of exhibits from members. "My students are winning awards, which is amazing."
One of his former students is novice award winner Ruth Franklin. "It was pretty exciting. I wasn't expecting to win it. It just gave me a boost of confidence," she said of her win.
The exhibition runs until September 10.
