Crafts accepted as art forms

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 32885, 7 April 1972, Page 5

Crafts accepted as art forms

Australia, like most of the world, was accepting crafts such as pottery and weaving as definite art forms rather than merely hobbies, Lady Frankel, a former Christchurch artist, said yesterday. Lady Frankel, formerly Miss Margaret Anderson, attended art school in Christchurch and after graduating taught art at Avonside Girls’ High School and Rangi Ruru. She was known then mainly for her paintings but now considers pottery her favourite art field. With her husband, Sir Otto Frankel, who is a scientist with the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Lady Frankel lives in Canberra. “We have a very good pottery department at our local technical college and there is a great interest in pottery in Canberra.” Australian craft organisa-

tions have formed the Craft Association of Australia—a national body which is a federation of state branches—and have sent a delegate to a world craft organisation conference in Ireland.

“There has been a great burst of activity in weaving,” Lady Frankel said. "It is no longer thought of as a utilitarian art, and weavers are using all sorts of textures, such as ropes and wool, and making large wall hangings and so on.” She confines herself solely to pottery and runs two kilns —one electric and one gas powered. Articles she makes are shown and sold at exhibitions and galleries. “I haven’t seen a great deal of New Zealand pottery

while I have been here, but I was delighted to see the Canterbury Society of Arts gallery running three or four exhibitions at once. That would have been unheard of while I was still here.” Lady Frankel left New Zealand about 20 years ago. Her husband was then director of crop research in Christchurch and left to take up a post with the C.5.1.R.0. After visiting relations and friends, she will return to Canberra in ten days.