CLAY

Cassius or not it's still the greatest
Alison Alder reports of the
clay revival in town.

Working with clay holds a fascination for a lot of people. Museums around the world are full of examples of pottery, from the Venus of Willendorf to Pompeiian figurines to Peruvian pots. Traditionally Aboriginal people did not use fired earthenware but in a contemporary context there are many fine examples of pottery like the Hermannsberg potters, Tiwi pottery or the large vessels made by Thancoupie.
Colonial Australia brought with it traditions of large ceramic manufacturers and workshops began, and are still operating, like the Bendigo Pottery in Victoria. It may be something primal, to get our hands back into the earth, or a return to childhood and the joy of playing in mud, but there is something about pottery that makes it one of the most popular crafts.
Tennant Creek is currently having a resurgence of people enjoying the pleasures of working with clay. In April and May, Steve Anderson from Batchelor College in Alice Springs held pottery workshops at Julalikari Council's Pink Palace, Anyinginyi Congress and the Crafts Council. Steve taught some basic wheelwork "no, it is still too wobbly, try again!" and importantly taught people how to load and fire a kiln.
Using a wheel seems to be quite an art and takes many hours of practise before a would-be potter can achieve something to be pleased with, although according to one trainee potter from the Crafts Council, "it's not what you end up with, it's how it feels."
Hopefully in the near future we will see some excellent pots and happy potters selling their work at the Crafts Council markets or on exhibit somewhere, maybe the new Tennant Creek Art Gallery.
A whole new Barkly regional style may develop. Keep on potting!