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
- List Works
- Biography
-
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
- Contact
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Email: alharrison@hotmail.com