Living Treasures: Masters of Australian Craft\ Prue Venables

National Exhibition Register

  • Betty's Kitchen
    Prue Venables Betty's Kitchen, 2017
    Medium
    Varied (Limoges Porcelain, thrown and altered, sterling silver, fine silver, wood, beaten copper)
    Image Credit
    Photo: Terence Bogue

About the exhibition

Living Treasures is a series of solo exhibitions honouring eminent Australian craftspeople, celebrating their mastery of skill, their achievements and the unique place they occupy in the national design culture.

Acclaimed ceramicist Prue Venables is the ninth artist in the Australian Design Centre's series Living Treasures: Masters of Australian Craft. Prue Venables' sculptural artworks possess clarity, luminosity and a quiet beauty.

The works in this exhibition explore the significance of everyday objects through multiple sequences of forms in porcelain, with additional elements in metal and wood. The forms are simple and elegant, with a minimal colour palette and create a distinctive visual language.

Artists and Curator

Artists

Prue Venables

Australian-born artist Prue Venables was studying the flute in London in 1977 when she first touched clay and was profoundly stopped in her tracks. Since then, she has devoted her time and energy to the mastery of porcelain, becoming one of Australia’s most skilled and lauded potters.

Numerous national and international exhibitions, awards and publications celebrate the fine porcelain work of Prue Venables. Included in many public and private collections worldwide, these pots explore complex and unusual approaches to working with porcelain, challenge the significance of daily objects and highlight the richness that they bring to our lives.Forms are deceptively simple, stand quietly, with light dancing on the sprung tension of their rims, their softly melting forms inviting touch.

Prue Venables is a multi-award winning, major Australian ceramicist. Educated at the Harrow College of Art in London with a Masters of Fine Art – Ceramics from RMIT, Prue has been practising her craft since 1977. With a distinguished exhibition history, Prue has also mentored and taught generations of ceramicists. Prue’s work is collected by major institutions and public galleries and private institutions in Australia, New Zealand, Europe, UK, USA, Canada, Japan. She is a former President of Craft Victoria, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts in London.

Living Treasures: Masters of Australian Craft \ Prue Venables

Available Dates and
Exhibition Details

Available dates
01/08/2019 - 10/12/2022
Exhibition size
Between 75-100 sq or running metres
Originating state
NSW
Organised by
Australian Design Centre
Price
Contact to discuss
Web Site
https://australiandesigncentre.com/past-exhibitions-and-events/prue-venables/
Accompanying materials available
Catalogue/Book, Education Kit, Installation Support Available, Interpretative/Didactic Panels, Invitations or Invitation Template, Labels, Media Kit, Public Program Opportunities, Public Workshops, Signage
Other materials
Book: The exhibition monograph designed by Ian Robertson includes essays by Prue Venables, Alison Britton OBE and Neville French with photography by Terence Bogue and is available for sale. The publication offers a rich insight into the depth and dedication of Prue’s practice, and the exquisite and graceful forms that result. Film: Filmed at Prue Venables’ home studio in Castlemaine, Victoria, this documentary film offers a glimpse into the work and practice of one of Australia’s most highly acclaimed ceramicists. Created to celebrate the selection of Venables’ selection as Australian Design Centre’s ninth Living Treasure: Master of Australian Craft it is shown alongside the exhibition. This film was made by Angus Lee Forbes for Australian Design Centre.
Primary contact
Fiona Pulford
Position
Program Manager
Organisation
Australian Design Centre
Phone
02 93614555
E-mail
fiona@australiandesigncentre.com
Secondary contact
Rhadi Bryant
Phone
02 9361 4555
E-mail
rhadi@australiandesigncentre.com
Acknowledgement
Living Treasures: Masters of Australian Craft | Prue Venables was researched and developed under a Federal Government Visions of Australia research grant and is ADC’s major national touring exhibition for 2019 - 2022. The tour is also supported by the Vis