Bangalow’s charming heritage village and green environs are a haven for many a gifted artist. Our clear, temperate climate, natural ambiance and friendly community spirit all contribute to generate this creative environment. There are many artists around Bangalow and their inspirations and talent ideally compliment our village’s character while their expressive exhibits add beauty, colour and imagination to all our lives and encourage the harmonious atmosphere that our community so treasures.

Along with Bangalow’s fine restaurants, popular cafés and heritage buildings their unique crafts attract many tourists and shoppers in search of something different or special thus creating income and employment for local businesses.

Many of their artistic wares can be purchased from a variety of stores along Byron Street. Take time to enjoy and consider their distinctive art and skills next time you are shopping in the village.

With so many gifted artisans active locally, here, I can only briefly mention three - all potters; in future editions of Heartbeat,

I hope to tell of renowned painters and sculptors in Bangalow.  

TABLEWARE TREASURES

Inventiveness and talent seems to have blessed her whole family, "It's just as well", she said with a smile, "we are a family of individuals and none of us could handle working for a boss for too long, fortunately we all soon discovered our niche amongst the arts. My brother is a sculptor; he has a piece on display in 'Slice Pizza'. One of my sisters designs and makes her own jewellery and the other is a well-travelled journalist who now works on the Northern Star. Dad's a book publisher in Melbourne and mum, after a divorce from dad, decided to build a mud-brick home so I got to play with clay once again. She then opened her own antique shop and I helped - renovating furniture".

Becoming tired with renovating, Rebecca soon surrendered to her passion for pottery and enrolled at Prahran College in Melbourne to study ceramics. After completing the course she lived on Phillip Island for a period experimenting with and improving her techniques and skills before making the move up to our warmer community.

Seven years ago she moved into the historic Temperance Hall on Lismore road where she produces both vibrant and subtle glazed tableware that radiates lively colours and a happy, expressive personality. "I enjoy creating eye-catching and appealing pottery with warm and rich designs but they also must have a functional use in the home".

FIGURATIVE CERAMIC SCULPTOR

Fiona’s currently employing her talent and passion in the exploration of the figurative form and her creative energy is clearly expressed in her arresting porcelain figurines. "I love storytelling with clay and many of my exhibitions are a collection of pieces created to symbolise universal issues as well as personal mythology, I want each sculpture to reveal a profound human experience".

Many of Fiona’s enthralling ceramic sculptures are exhibited and sold through the Sydney Legge Gallery at Redfern and other top interstate galleries. Her work will also be on show at Customs House, Sydney in December and she exhibits internationally several times during the year.

Since settling back in the area Fiona has been sharing her vast knowledge and skills as a teacher of ceramics at Southern Cross University and Murwillumbah Tafe while completing her thesis on the history of the ceramic figurine. At present she is creating and firing another porcelain troupe of dramatic figurines to complete her Master Decree of Visual Arts at the Southern Cross University. "Porcelain is very difficult to work with" she said, " but you can create such refined details and I love to challenge myself. After I have completed this exhibition I am going to give ceramic classes in Bangalow for both adults and children, hopefully sometime during November or December".

CREATIONS IN CLAY

Several years later, her love and dedication to this art form had her enrolling for a diploma course in ceramics at the Canberra School of Arts; here she developed an individual potting style of her own - creating a designer range of floor pots. Each piece is crafted with a combination of hand built and wheel work, using a special blend of clays to provide the rich earthy tones and distinctive appearance she is now known for.

"Once clay particles get into your blood they stay forever, pottery has now become my passion", she declared.

 During this period of time she developed an individual potting style of her own creating a designer range of floor pots. Each piece is crafted with a combination of hand built and wheel work, using a special blend of clays to provide the rich earthy tones and distinctive appearance she is now known for. "Once clay particles get into your blood they stay forever, pottery has now become my passion." She declared.

Cheryl' passion and talent has turned into a successful career and much of her work is distributed by selected galleries and dealers throughout New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland and the Australia Capital Territory and her customer base is still rapidly expanding. Personalised commissions are often received such as a request for a range of pots for the Governor General's Canberra Residence!

Cheryl has now established herself as a notable potter in Australia and devotes herself full-time to her craft. This reputation ensures that her past and future works will continue to attract a high level of recognition for their individual style.

Cheryl resides at 23 Leslie Street Bangalow where she has set up a studio and kilm, visitors are most welcome. "Here in Bangalow I have access to a community of very creative people, this gives me a wonderful opportunity to expand my own skills base and bring new ideas and direction to my work".

If you would like to check out Cheryl's attractive designer pots give her a call on 6687 1686 or pop into 23 Leslie Street, Bangalow.

The authors comment

"Much of this knowledge of processing technology was subsequently lost for centuries. However, despite the passage of time, many of the basic technological concerns remain remarkably similar today. It is fascinating to compare ancient and modern practice and to realise that the artisans of times past can still teach us a few things that may inspire improvements in modern processing technology."

Merv with its position as an oasis at the meeting of the Silk Road and trading routes from the Indian sub-continent was therefore a great meeting place for trading goods and knowledge. It is interesting to note that Merv has none of the natural resources needed for crucible steel making - i.e. no iron ore, no clay and little fuel.

The bulk of the article describes in some detail the technical construction of the crucibles, the furnaces and probable method of operation and the authors suggest that the operators had technical mastery of their subject. The speculate that the product was utilised in the production of 'Damascus' blades.

The authors acknowledge the support of Dr. G Herrman and Dr S Simpson and the International Merv Project and conclude that "We have learnt a little in the past thousand years, but perhaps not quite as much as we first thought."