ALBANY PORCELAIN ART WORKSHOP
21st to 23rd March, 2023
The Albany Regional Porcelain Art Group held it's annual workshop in March in Albany, W.A. The City of Albany is a main regional centre situated on the picturesque Princess Royal Harbour on the south coast of Western Australia.
The three day workshop was held at the clubrooms of the Veteran Car Club on the outskirts of Albany. This dedicated art group have been providing china painting workshops for over 30 years and this year was the ninth workshop in its present form. Participating students arrange their own accommodation but with so many excellent hotels and B&Bs available in the Albany area, this arrangement has proved popular for those travelling from Perth and other regional areas.
Students selected from two tutors, Anne Blake from Perth and Dee Credaro from Busselton, with classes running concurrently over the three days:
Anne's Class- painting 'Australian Bush Huts'
- monochrome design with penwork & techniques.
Dee's Class - painting 'Marsupial Animals'
– Kangaroos, Quokkas or your choice.
Shown above : Third fire bush hut from sample tile painted by Anne Blake
Australian Bush Huts
Students in my class selected from studies of Aussie bush and slab huts, the type often built by early Australian pioneers. The design was penned onto the porcelain and fired. Students then chose between a traditional pen and wash technique; metallic speckled dry-dusting or a lustre background to finish their piece. Some students also applied a border design.
Shown above right: Pen & wash bush hut plate painted by Anne Blake.
Marsupial Animals
Dee's class selected from a variety of marsupial and other fury Australian animals. Possums, kangaroos and Numbats were just some of the subjects chosen. These were painted in a traditional fashion and finished with a variety of colourful and textured backgrounds.
Shown above right: bush-baby plate painted by Dee Credaro.
"Great friendship and camaraderie exists between painters at the workshop and many old friendships are rekindled..."
Shown below: Dee Credaro and her companion 'Kelly' preparing for class.
Shown below: Collection of Aussie Bush Hut plates painted by Anne Blake
Shown above from L to R: students Diane, Ruth and Barbara
Shown below from L to R: students Audrey, Margaret and Betty.
China painters travelled from both Perth and regional centres of Western Australia to join with Albany painters for the 2023 Albany Porcelain Art Workshop. The great friendship and camaraderie that exists between painters is wonderful to experience and of course many old friendships were rekindled. The workshop was an opportunity to paint, learn and most of all enjoy!
Congratulations to Brenda Caellli, President and all the Committee of the Albany Porcelain Art Workshop for a well organised, successful and happy event.
shown below student's work from the Aussie Bush Hut class with Anne Blake.
clockwise from top left: Audrey, Betty, Erica, Margaret, Ruth, Virginia and Diane.
All photographs are © A Blake 2023 unless otherwise stated