Sandra Black

Sandra Black is known for her perfectly balanced thrown and cast porcelain vessels. Inspired by nature, Sandra combines abstract and organic shapes in fluid patterns to decorate her bowls and vessels. Sandra continues to draw inspiration for her mark making from organic forms such as plants and trees while a newfound fascination with industrial manufacturing plants has inspired the structural forms of her vessels. When viewing her work (both thrown and slip cast) the audience can appreciate Sandra’s attention to the interior space of the vessel. She has spent many years aiming to perfect that inner space. For Sandra, the careful finishing and balance of the exterior can only come after this has been achieved. As well as this, there is a beautiful balance between the decorative elements and themes she chooses to explore. The natural world of Western Australia continues to be a source of inspiration as Sandra plays with organic imagery both natural and abstracted.

As art reviewer Kerry-Anne Cousins noted about her work, ‘Black’s restraint in choosing simple forms and not glazing the pots but leaving the design to speak for itself, results in works that are attractive with a harmonious interweaving of pattern and form.’

Sandra Black lives and works in Fremantle, WA, and studied at the WA Institute of Technology (now Curtin University). She has been exhibiting in solo and invitational shows since 1976 across Australia, as well as overseas including USA, Germany, Canada, New Zealand, Netherlands, Switzerland and Japan. She has undertaken numerous residencies around the world, including a 2018 residency in Jingdezhen (China) and a 2015 residency in Maihar, Madhya Pradesh (India). Her work is widely represented in regional, state, national and international collections including the National Gallery of Australia, Parliament House, Art Gallery of Western Australia, Winnipeg Art Gallery (Canada), Gifu Prefecture Ceramic Museum (Japan), and the Auckland Gallery and Museum (New Zealand).

Words courtesy Beaver Galleries, Canberra.