Dawn Thirlaway

Neriage vase, bowls and jewellery (porcelain), and wall plaques (mixed media on canvas)

Dawn Thirlaway and fellow artists

at the Union Street Design Studio

- located at 23 Newbridge St, South Lismore -

invite all to their Annual Christmas Sale

from 4 - 8 pm on Friday 30th November 2012.

Crayon and ink on paper works

Artist Statement

'One of the important things in my recovery was to walk along the country road where I live

with the guideposts becoming my measure of wellness. I loved these walks that connected me to nature

and I collected little treasures along the way.'    -     Dawn Thirlaway, July 2012

'Help for Peace'

Clay, slip, underglazes, glaze

Expressive works from Conversations held in July 2012.

Cotton, porcelain and feather works on canvas

'The Future Is Now'

Slipcast porcelain

from Visions 2012

December 2011

Dawn Thirlaway's porcelain platters and beakers are part

of a selection of original artworks now available at the Serpentine gallery shop. (Dec 2011)

'Boat Bowls'

(Photo: Georgina Jones)

Dawn donated one of these porcelain artworks to our

Art Auction 2011 - held on the 8th May

Artist's statement

Boats to me represent a journey, a traveling from place to place.

Along this journey we experience different lands, their culture, heritage and their cuisine.

Boats collect things along their way, like barnacles and moss;

they also seem to collect an Essence of the places they have visited.

Throughout it’s history Australia has received people who arrive by boat.

 These boats have brought many cultures and traditions, which have contributed to our multicultural society.

Over the years, Australia has acknowledged the importance of immigrants who come by boat and we now

celebrate the diversity of this society. With the acceptance of the Indigenous peoples of this land and their culture,

the food we now consume is a mixture of Bush Tucker, European, South American and also Asian.

I am person who arrived by boat in 1960 and I feel blessed that I can live in this land and eat abundantly of any food I wish.

I love the lightness and spiciness of Asian food, my favorite dish being Thai Fish Soup. When I sit down to eat Thai soup it seems to taste better out of a boat bowl – it’s those wonderful flavours of lemongrass, ginger, chilli and coriander

and it’s also that essence if Thailand that has arrived at my table by boat.

'Eclectica'

Set of five cups and saucers

Slip-cast porcelain

on view at the Serpentine from the 2nd to 25th April 2011 as part of

Colour Our World

Artist's statement

The contemporary table is eclectic, it updates traditions yet maintains beauty and ritual.

My set of cups & saucers relates to the Fibonacci number series together with mystical teachings.

The vibration of Three is said to be the birthing of true wisdom and

the triangle represents the connection of Spirit, Mind, Body.

The number Five has a vibration that links to the physicality of humans: five fingers and toes, five tactile senses.

Five also represents our desire to balance our own internal equations.

Drinking tea with friends or family is about sharing the colours and vibrations of life.

Biography

Dawn Thirlaway first studied Ceramics at TAFE in Sydney and then at Southern Cross University, Lismore. Dawn has

exhibited at the Gold Coast Ceramics Awards, Planet, Lismore Regional Art Gallery and participated in many group

exhibitions both regionally and interstate. Dawn won the graduating student award at Fusion's Gallery in 2003

and was selected to exhibit at 'Verge" 11th National Ceramics Conference in Brisbane 2006.

In 2009 she received third place in the Border Art Prize. 

Dawn’s passion is Neriage - a unique process of laminating coloured clays and creating patterns which requires patience

and attention to detail. She uses the local landscape as inspiration for her small delicate bowls in translucent porcelain.

 Dawn also creates wheel-thrown pieces as well as home-wares in slip-cast porcelain.

Recently completed Visual Arts Honours at SCU, Dawn worked on a project that conveyed her experiences and recovery

from cancer. She maintains her art practice from Union St Design Studio in South Lismore. Dawn draws upon her personal experience of cancer to facilitate "Healing with Clay" workshops for a variety of groups in the Lismore area,

as well as teaching ceramics to people with disabilities.

Education:

2008 - 2009 B. Vis Arts Honours, Southern Cross University, Lismore

2009 - Artist in Healthcare Training, Port Macquarie

2008 - Cancer Care and Palliative Care Volunteer Training, Lismore

1999 - 2004 B. Vis Arts, Southern Cross University, Lismore

1986 - 1988 Ceramics Certificate, St. George TAFE, Kogarah

This is the link to Dawn's On-line Gallery