Gaye Atkinson

After an absence of 30 years during which she worked in mixed media Gaye Atkinson has returned to her first creative love - clay. Raku is her medium which began in Asia is and used by the Japanese for their tea bowl ceremonies. Adopting the American metaphorical approach she is inspired by our rocky mountainous terrain and foreshore. Gaye hand-builds these rugged forms to reflect erosion and volcanic events. They are usually smoked black by being extracted red hot from the kiln and 'reduced' in combustibles. In contrast she throws simple forms which she embellishes with hand-built additions to represent artefacts. These are fired and treated the same but the 'reduction' produces a metallic, aged patina from the copper laden glazes.