John Walters Personal Statement

John Walters Personal Statement

I have been creating a body of work exploring the technique of porcelain slip dipped recycled objects. These consist of soft furnishings,clothing,plush toys, knitted and crocheted objects. This gives a glimpse of contemporary life in Australia. By careful selecting my subject matter I am able to give a sample of society's activities through our fashion, the toys we purchase not only for ourselves but also for our children, leisure activities and stories we grow up with.

Growing up in a family of craft people, not only were our clothes hand made but also most of our toys and furniture. These skills over time have diminished to such a degree that today few exist. Most things are mass produced in China for various companies in various countries. With globalisation these objects find there way into our homes and lives, eventually ending up as landfill. Over time some may end up as fossils, but more likly they will produce toxic waste.

By slip dipping and firing the objects to stoneware I am able to create an image of the object which is only a façade, similar in features but it noway relates to the original function of the object. They become a memory, an instant fossil of contemporary society. Just like Pompeii frozen in time recording a history of everyday objects and activities. Destined to last much longer than the original.

All these objects in our past history would have probably been made by women, seen as a duty of being a good mum or wife. The skills being passed from generation to generation and classified as crafts. For thousands of years this existed but now due to the ever increasing demands by society, technology, the industrial age and globalisation the skills are no longer being used.

Ceramics like other skills in most cases is thought of as a craft and is diminishing. By marrying clay with other objects which would have originally been classified as craft, I hope to be able to develop a body of work which directly relates to todays society. Reflecting our lives, recording our likes and creating art from crafts and mass produced objects.