Emerging local ceramics artist Abbey Jamieson has made a deliberate effort to take things slowly and prioritise her mental health during lockdown.
“It’s all about trying to keep everyone sane and looked after from a personal point of view and making comes second,” she told Canberra Daily.
Currently without access to the soda kiln at Canberra Potters due to the lockdown, Jamieson said this time around has “definitely been trickier” than 2020.
This has been compounded by a nationwide clay shortage, with a lot of suppliers struggling to get materials into the country to even make clay.
“Last year I had enough clay at home, I was making and still intermittently able to fire kilns at Canberra Potters,” she said.
Despite that, she’s been able to do a bit here and there in the home studio she shares with her partner, using her small electric kiln to make pots inspired by the extended time spent in the garden of late.
As for what the next few months might hold as the ACT emerges from lockdown, it’s a guessing game for Jamieson as much as it is for the rest of us.
“Making plans is a bit tricky,” she said. “As things start to open up, I’ll look into firing a kiln again to fill a few orders that are a few months overdue.”
‘Great resilience’ amongst Canberra artists in lockdown
Award-winning established local visual artist Julie Bradley has continued producing work during lockdown, telling Canberra Daily she “doesn’t have a problem working”.
“I’m happy in a studio,” she said.
Keeping herself busy, Bradley remains motivated to continue making and be ready for when things reopen.
“If you stop work then you’re going to be on the back foot, so keep working, keep acting as if it’s going to open,” she said. “I’ve got about four exhibitions backed up ready to rock and roll.”
Prior to the pandemic, Bradley completed a residency in County Mayo, Ireland – The Ballinglen Foundation Fellowship – in 2019, with the idea to then display the works created at an exhibition in Melbourne.
With the pandemic quashing those plans, Bradley subsequently shifted her gaze more locally, something she has embraced.
“It became prudent to start thinking closer to home,” she said.
It serendipitously led to that show, Evocation, being picked up by Belconnen Arts Centre as an inaugural exhibition for their August 2020 reopening.
Bradley said she has observed a “great resilience” amongst local artists and galleries in the face of the conditions.
“People are still writing good critiques, still making excellent work, it’s just venues are still shut,” she said.
“You just have to be agile and prepared.
“There are ways that difficulties can create opportunities for people and because we’re artists, that’s what we do.”
Having self-funded her 35-year career as an artist by working as a tertiary art educator, Bradley has empathy for Canberra artists at the start of their career who are navigating the lockdown without her experience.
“If you’re a young person starting out, I think you could be quite discouraged,” she said.
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