Lacoste Keane Gallery is pleased to present the first solo exhibition in the USA by Australian artist Sandy Lockwood. Her exhibition Unearthed Elements, also her first solo with this gallery, runs from October 5 to 26, 2019.
This exhibition brings a fresh and exciting perspective on ceramic art from across the Pacific Ocean. Lockwood who was born in England, looks towards British Neolithic artefacts for inspirations however, her work has strong Australian influences. Some of her works remind viewers of natural rock formations found in remote Queensland or the monolithic Uluru, an UNESCO World Heritage Site located in the desert of Northern Territory.
Sandy Lockwood has more than 35 years history as a ceramic artist and educator in her home country and is a well-regarded studio potter who has transcended her practice into the sculptural using nature as her blueprint. This requires knowing her material and handling with expert hands while allowing the kiln to participate. As a result, this produces a magical and unexpected clay transformation – works that are new yet weathered like artefacts from the ancient past.
American potter Jack Troy observes that, “she composes clay bodies with material savvy - some so highly textured as to resemble plastic sand, others vitreous as translucent porcelain – all expand her working vocabulary.”
Lockwood has exhibited worldwide, and her works are in both private and public collections in Australia, UK, USA, Europe, Korea, China and Japan. She works and lives in a remote property two hours outside of Sydney and recently received her PhD in Creative Arts from University of Wollongong, Australia.
The Opening Reception with Sandy Lockwood is Saturday October 5, 3:00 – 5:00 pm and the Artist Talk is Sunday October 6 starting at 2:00pm.
ARTIST STATEMENT
My work arises from direct physical interaction with the material qualities of clay expressing the forces and flows of nature.
A necessity of making like this is to enter a dance or conversation with clay where its material qualities make a significant contribution to the process and outcome.
There is a kind of thinking and knowing that is done by the body that cannot be articulated in words. The pieces here are a telling of the journey of my material exploration. It is told using the language of making from the inside, expressed in a visual vocabulary.
The resulting work captures the energy and motion of the natural environment. It also tells of weathering and erosion of natural and ancient structures and artefacts.
BIO
Sandy Lockwood has been working with clay, wood-firing and salt-glazing since 1980. Her ceramic works have been widely exhibited and are represented in public and private collections in Australia, UK, USA, Europe, Korea, China and Japan. Her work has been published in journals and books and she has been a presenter at many conferences internationally. She holds a PhD and is currently a lecturer at the National Art School, Sydney.