Sandra Black

Acclaimed ceramic artist Sandra Black lives and works in Fremantle, WA.

Her carved and pierced porcelain forms are delicate and tranquil. Inspired by nature, Sandra combines abstract and organic shapes in fluid patterns to decorate her bowls and vessels. Evocative of lace, each porcelain form features a cut-out design, where negative space and areas of high relief create the decoration.

Sandra continues to draw inspiration for her mark making from organic forms such as plants and trees whilst a new found fascination with industrial manufacturing plants has inspired the structural forms of her vessels.

As Sandra explains, “This reminds me of our destructive impact as human beings on our environment… Life is fragile but also tenacious and I want my work to reflect this by the use of more extreme carving and piercing but also by using one of the strongest ceramic materials of porcelain.”

The natural colouration of ebony and white porcelain emit a cool glow as light is captured and transmitted through the pieces. This effect is integral to Sandra’s aesthetic and is created from electric firing which produces a cool blue-grey look or a warmer white appearance. Sandra uses a surgical blade to carve out her designs before using a dremel and various tools to pierce the porcelain form. Instead of glazes, Sandra relies on the polished surfaces of the clay to show the carving and piercing to their best advantage.

Sandra studied at the WA Institute of Technology (now Curtin University). She has regularly exhibited in solo and invitational shows since 1976 across Australia, as well as overseas including USA, Germany, Canada, New Zealand, Netherlands, Switzerland and Japan. She has undertaken numerous residencies around the world, including a 2018 residency in Jingdezhen (China) and a 2015 residency in Maihar, Madhya Pradesh (India). Her work is widely represented in regional, state, national and international collections including the National Gallery of Australia, Parliament House, Art Gallery of Western Australia, Winnipeg Art Gallery (Canada), Gifu Prefecture Ceramic Museum (Japan), and the Auckland Gallery and Museum (New Zealand).

Sandra is a member of the Ceramic Arts Association of Western Australia.

You can find Sandra Black’s works online, at her studio by appointment or at ::
Gunyulgup Galleries, Margaret River; Found at Fremantle Arts Centre; Lawrence Wilson Art Gallery, Perth; Nest Gallery, Darlington, WA; Beaver Galleries, Canberra; Bamfurlong Gallery, Hahndorf, South Australia; and at Masterworks Gallery, Auckland, NZ.

(Bio courtesy Beaver Galleries)