HARRISON, Amanda

Background

I’ve loved sculpture all my life, creating forms from any material at hand – from mud, plasticine and playdough, to plaster, wood, wire, and clay. While pursuing other artistic and creative careers such as scriptwriting, photography and graphic design, sculpture has always travelled with me, a touchstone to which I always return. Such an ancient artform, it has kept me grounded, when all the world seems mad.

I reached a turning point in an evening pottery class: my wheel-thrown pots were persistently morphing into abstract human forms and so I decided it was time to ‘scratch the itch’. Over the next few years, I took multiple evening classes, weekend workshops and TAFE courses, mentored by some brilliant teachers and artists, until I set up my own sculpture studio 6 years ago. 

Artist Statement

I’m most interested in the human form, in exploring the reduction of the figure to its simplest sculptural form. My graphic design training, where simplicity, clean lines and pleasing negative space are of prime importance, has guided my style.

I like to explore the tension and movement created by balancing forms. I enjoy the pure engineering challenge of creating a form with a high centre of gravity on a narrow base but I also love the excitement generated by a carefully poised figure or a strategically balanced abstract form.

The parent and child are my favourite subject, emanating from my adventures nuturing four wonderful children. Their childhoods bubble up constantly in my mind and re-surface under my fingers. The whimsical and the quirky are another passion, where I seek to challenge the norm and question reality – and create an upbeat space for the viewer.

Surface texture is another fascination. Texture creates an energy in the artwork and can highlight the form. I often use oxides to accentuate the texture of the finished clay or metal, or use a textured patina on smooth pieces.

Individuality is important to me – in this world of mass-produced goods, I like the maker’s marks to be visible as a statement of ‘made by hand’. All my ceramic pieces are one-off originals while my metal sculptures are either one-offs or a limited edition of ten.

EDUCATION (Sculpture)

2016   Certificate in Ceramic Techniques – Specialised – Karen Farrell, Hornsby TAFE

2015   Wax Carving & Bronze Casting W’shop – Michael Vaynman, Workshop Arts Centre, Willoughby

2014   Sculpture Techniques Casting Workshop – Alex Kosmos & Alan Watt, Bermagui, NSW 

2005-12 Ceramic & Sculpture Study – Barbara Campbell-Allen, Renata de Lambert, WAC, Willoughby

1986-87 Certificate in Sculpture – Kensington & Chelsea College, Kensington, London

SOLO/MAJOR EXHIBITIONS (Selected)

2017   Amanda Harrison & Dana Dion – Art Gallery on Darling, Balmain, Sydney

2014   Sculptural Horizons – The Balmain Watch House Gallery, Balmain, Sydney

2012   Sculpture in the Studio – Greenwich, Sydney

2011   Beginnings – Tighes Hill Gallery, Newcastle

2010   Amanda Harrison & Louella Woodham – Washhouse Gallery, Rozelle, Sydney

GROUP EXHIBITIONS (Selected)

2018   Brighton Sculpture Show – Brighton, Adelaide, South Australia

          Sculpture Bermagui – Bermagui, NSW

2017   Sculpture on Clyde – Bateman’s Bay, NSW

  Harbour Sculpture – Clarke’s Reserve, Hunters Hill, Sydney

  Sydney Royal Arts Show – Homebush, Sydney

2016   ‘Earth’ – Sculptors Society Awards, Incinerator Art Space, Willoughby, Sydney

2015   ‘Aquila Tierra’ – Incinerator Art Space, Willoughby, Sydney

 ‘Home Grown: The Ceramicists’ – Art Space on the Concourse, Chatswood, Sydney

2014   Gosford Art Prize – Gosford Regional Gallery, Gosford

  Northbridge Art Show – Gallery 307, Northbridge, Sydney

2013   Sculpture in the Valley – Greystone Grange, Kangaroo Valley, NSW

2012   Ewart Art Prize – Ewart Gallery, Willoughby, Sydney

2011   Hunters Hill Art Exhibition – Hunters Hill, Sydney

  Articles Fine Art Gallery – Stanwell Park NSW

2010   The Sculptors Society Annual Awards Exhibition – Darling Park, Sydney City

2009   Perl Contemporary Art Gallery – Vaucluse, Sydney

2008   Balmain Art Show – Eaton St, Balmain, Sydney

  ‘View!’ – St Ignatius College, Riverview

2007   ‘Workshop Ceramicists’ – Ewart Gallery, Laurel St, Willoughby, Sydney

2006   ‘Create!’ – Gresford Art Festival, Gresford

AWARDS (Selected)

2017   1st in Figurative Sculpture – Sydney Royal Arts Show, Homebush, Sydney

  1st in Sculpture – Ewart Art Prize, Ewart Gallery, Willoughby, Sydney

  People’s Choice Prizes x 3 – Sculpture on Clyde • Sculpture in the Valley • Sculpture Bermagui

2016  1st in Figurative Sculpture – The Sculptors Society Awards, Art Space on the Concourse

  1st in Sculpture – Northbridge Art Show, Gallery 307 Northbridge, Sydney

2015   President’s Prize – The Sculptors Society Annual Awards, Darling Park, Sydney

2014   1st in Sculpture – Ewart Art Prize, Ewart Gallery, Willoughby, Sydney

Leadership

2012-18 Convenor & Marketing Manager, Greenwich Village Arts Trail

MEMBERSHIP

The Sculptors Society, Sydney, NSW – member since 2010 

The Australian Ceramics Association, based in Sydney – member since 2012

The Workshop Art Centre, Willoughby, Sydney – member since 2006

Greenwich Village Arts Trail, Greenwich, Sydney – founding member since 2005 – convenor since 2012

Email: alharrison@hotmail.com

Web:  www.harrisonsculpture.net