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Room to Grow; Explorations in Clay

Suemi Chiba

Opening Event :
Friday 7 February 2025, 5:30pm – 7:30pm

Exhibition Dates :
Friday 7 – Wednesday 26 February 2025
Monday – Friday 10:00am – 5:00pm

This exhibition of new work by emerging artist Suemi Chiba explores the possibilities of clay within two different residency places, combining a variety of techniques and materials that the artist experimented with to develop skills and to explore a personal narrative.

“I would like to present an exhibition of ceramic works that combine the rough qualities of dark clays with the refined qualities of white clays. In ceramics different types of clays are generally used for different purposes; they match certain glazes and display different qualities that highlight specific processes and firing types. White clays are often used in refined and decorative work such as with porcelain figures or bone china tableware and ornaments. Often these works are decorated with painting and metallic lusters. Rougher darker clays are often used for more sculptural work and can be used in atmospheric firings where the firing itself plays a large role in the look of the work where effects are created from the fire or chemical reactions of soda and ash. Many ceramic artists will lean towards one of these two very different directions.

I come from two different cultures that have a long history of ceramic traditions. I am half-Japanese, half-British, grew up in Alberta, Canada, and live in Tasmania, Australia. My ceramic style is influenced by all these cultures and I am still forming my own narrative in my work. I love Japanese techniques, atmospheric firings and the Japanese aesthetic and I also love highly decorative work that might have been seen in my British grandmother’s house.

I am currently completing a six month internship at Gaya Ceramic Arts and will have also completed a residency at the Medalta Historic Clay District in Alberta, Canada. During this time I have the opportunity to complete work with atmospheric firings such as soda, raku and wood firing as well as experimenting with different types of clay. I am working on combining elements of highly decorative work in porcelain with heavier clays used in atmospheric firing.”
– Suemi Chiba