Lucy Vanstone ceramics studio at Brunswick Heads

On my recent trip to Byron Bay over the June long weekend to meet up with Carolyn, a vibrant artist friend from Melbourne, we visited the lovely coastal fishing town of Brunswick Heads where I was pleased to discover the ceramic studio of Lucy Vanstone (e: lucyvanstone@hotmail.com) tucked away in the hall behind St Thomas Church.Lucy opened the Wheel of life studios after settling in the area from England around 2005. Whilst holidaying at Byron over Xmas I had trawled the wonderfully colourful Bangalow market, a must see if one's visit coincides with market day, and bought two small bowls made by Lucy in her studio at Brunswick pictured below .

The image below, taken in my studio, includes the small vessels  made by Lucy that would be equally at home on a dining table being used to hold a delicious asian dipping sauce as perhaps they are here surrounded by things I love. A recent fabric print stretched onto a small square frame, seedpods, aboriginal tapping sticks, wooden beads, sea urchin shells, a chinese marble paintbrush...are perfect companions for the earthy oxide exterior of these natural looking bowls with their crackled glazed interiors. I love the absolute simplicity of their forms in the same way I love to pick to seeds and seedpods for their sheer earthiness and humble appearance.

Lucy recently showed with a group of ceramic artists from her region- in a show titled 'Our Most Easterly Edge'- at the new Brisbane Gallery FUSIONS in bustling Fortitude Valley, in close proximity to quite a number of excellent galleries and cultural venues of note. FUSIONS : Australian Network Of Clay + Glass Artists opened late last year in a very well sited converted building that was previously part of a church complex.