A self-taught artist, South African Trayci Tompkins'
passion and primary focus is on hand-coiled, smoke and Raku-fired ceramics.
Her fascination for ancient unearthed pottery and the naivety in their design,
has led Trayci to explore the jungles of South America and work briefly with
the potters of Indonesia. Combined with the Japanese tradition of Raku and
ethnic influences of local ethnic pit fired pottery, Trayci produces
sculptural works that hint of the mysteries of old.
Hand coiled pots demand a great deal of time. Two to three coils a day are
added to the pot, then allowed to almost dry. This slow process allows the
shape to grow symmetrically, taking up to three weeks to construct. Smoke
firing involves placing the pot in a pit or drum filled with sawdust, stitle,
seaweed and other combustibles, then lighting a fire over it, which is allowed
to smoulder for a day or two, resulting in eerie ethereal markings.
Raku pots are carved or decorated, bisque fired, glazed and then fired in a
gas kiln, artworks are then carefully taken out and placed into a bed of
sawdust, which immediately ignites. The molten glaze shrinks to create
crackles and any exposed clay is burnt black, which adds to the excitement and
drama of creating these unique pots. No two pots are ever the same.
The following artworks are a representation of the Artist's body of work. A wider
selection
is available for viewing at Afrikana Gallery in South Melbourne. |
