Red Spot Gallery - Rotorua Art Gallery supporting local artists
Cheryl Oliver
CHERYL OLIVER – Biography
My life has been defined as before and after clay having been gripped (unwittingly) twenty years ago. It has become part of my everyday thoughts and actions ever since – for better and for worse. Although mainly self taught I attend workshops and master classes when I can both here and overseas searching for the Illusive pleasure of a breakthrough no matter how insignificant. Clay will be my undoing…eventually.
ARTIST STATEMENT
The focus of my work is mainly in the figurative with emphasis on the humourous, believing as I do that there is a legitimate place on the art spectrum for the light hearted. Most of the work is simply to reflect a frozen moment in human expression with the viewer providing the final narrative. It seems to me there is ample room for an ocassional grin in our lives.
I work predominately with a porcelain-type clay body and rely on textures from various sources and a restrained colour palette to give it added interest, depth and hint of cheek.
Each piece is individually made and finished, stamped with my potter’s mark and multi-fired in an electric kiln.
I am flattered to have my work residing in various countries around the world and privileged to be in the collection of Sir Elton John.
Journey Series
For all our plans and dreams our life insists on not being under our complete control.
The passage/success of our journey comes down to a series of personal corrections and adaptions – we are assailed by the unexpected, the seemingly random and the downright daft as repeated reminders of that. Therefore sometimes we have wobbly times, dents in our courage; sometimes the steering is suspect, the wheels a little bent and our eyes not quite on the road. And sometimes it is plain exhilarating. Its all rather wonderful really. We do our best to make it an interesting journey and one worth the effort.
By utilizing a semi soft slab technique and consciouslytrying to not perfect the ‘vehicle’, I am hoping to metophorically reflect our journey. Therefore the effects of the handling and firing on the clay is not particularly disguised. All contribute to a life well lived.
The sometimes reference to ‘Doris’ is a personal acknowledgement to my grandmother, who represented one of the many ordinary, invisible women in the world – not famous or special in any particular way but who nevertheless importantly and variously shaped and imprinted herself on her family. Her journey was one of hard work and sacrifice and it is to all the Doris’ of this world I want to pay tribute.
Cheryl Oliver
Cheryl regularly exhibits throughout New Zealand and was the recipient of the ‘People’s Choice’ Award in the 2009 NZPotters inc National Exhibition.
“I live in a peaceful valley surrounded by native reserve and abundant bird life along with husband, two cats and a very large faithful dog”.