Hey Eddie! Tell us a bit about yourself
Hi, my name’s Edwina, or Eddie for short. I’m a 24-year-old ceramicist and painter who lives and works in Naarm, Melbourne. I grew up in Meanjin, Brisbane and moved down seven years ago for university. I’ve always had a great interest and appreciation for art, and I’m stoked to be able to pursue something I’m so passionate about.
What is your practice and what inspires you most?
I’ve been influenced by many experiences and people throughout my life. As cliché as this sounds, my mum is someone who has been extremely influential to me. Her work ethic and resilience are two things that I greatly admire, and her appreciation and fascination with art and music is definitely something that has been passed down to me, and for that I’m extremely grateful! My tutors at university were all very influential to me as well. Their dedication, knowledge and passion for art was contagious and gave me the confidence to further develop my skills and seriously pursue a career in visual art.
What has been your biggest influence?
I work mostly between ceramics and painting, particularly with earthenware clay and oil paint. A lot of the inspiration for my work stems from my friends, as well as everyday items that can be found in the home or in someone’s bag. The public space and the people within them is also something that inspires me and is often a source for inspiration and ideas.
How did you get into ceramics?
For the past year, I’ve been working on a collection of life-sized earthenware ceramic sculptures which have been inspired by the contents of my friend’s bags. Last year, I was selected to be part of the Emerging Artist Exhibition at Fortyfivedownstairs, which was a great opportunity to showcase my ceramic sculptures alongside many other talented and emerging artists.
Who is your favourite artist and why?
Just picking one is so hard! However, one artist that does come to mind is Claes Oldenburg. Oldenburg’s audacious, amusing and influential depiction of everyday objects fascinates me as well as his exploration with scale. Other artist’s that I greatly admire include Joe Bradly, Davida Allen, Nick Weddell and Philip Guston.
What would be your dream project?
I would love to continue to grow my artistic practice and expand my knowledge and practice by incorporating a more diverse range of materials and techniques, as well as spread my work to an international audience. I would also love to be able to collaborate with other artists and curators that I admire.
What is next for you?
I’m currently working on a collection of ceramic sculptures that I intend on exhibiting mid-year, which is exciting! It’s always helpful for me to have a deadline, as it encourages me to work harder and to refine my practice further.