Pottery judge to lecture

Press, 31 May 1977, Page 12

Pottery judge to lecture

A $lOOO ceramic pottery award to be made annually, has been announced by the Auckland Studio Potters. This year’s winner will be made known on Saturday. To be known as the Fletcher Brownbuilt Pottery Award, it is open .to all New Zealand residents. A different category of theme will be chosen each year. This year, each potter may submit one pot or set of pots which uses ceramics' to highlight sculptural content.

The judge will be Les Blakebroiigh, an Australian potter and lecturer in ceramics. He will make the $lOOO cash award, and also will be empowered to make two merit awards of $250 each. Mr Blakebrough arrived in Auckland from Hobart, last Thursday, and selected the winner on Friday. Tomorrow he will arrive in Christchurch, and tomorrow night he will give a lecture, illustrated with

slides, in Room 15 at the Christchurch Arts Centre. Mr Blakebrough will return to Auckland on Saturday for the opening of the awards exhibition — and announcement of the winner — at the Auckland War Memorial Museum. “The Fletcher Brownbuilt Award will, for the first time in New Zealand, bring potters up to par with painters and sculptors, who have had many opportunities for

awards in the past," said « Mr lan Firth, past presi- ’ dent of the Auckland Studio Potters and a prominent figure in the | organisation of the award, y Pots submitted for the j award will be on sale • during the exhibition, which will close on June > | 12. A 20 per cent commis- '“J sion will go to the studio y potters to help improve * facilities at their craft iy centre. The award-winning L pot, however, will be re- ' tained by the sponsor.