Arcadian still life

The beach and its culture feature strongly in the work of South Australian potter Gerry Wedd, who has lived and worked on the coast of South Australia’s Fleurieu Peninsula for many decades. Although his wheel-thrown vessels often depict this area of the Australian coast, other subjects, such as music, politics and matters of life and love, also appear – often with a wry sense of humour. Wedd is connected to the region and culture as an avid surfer – and designer for the surf-wear company, Mambo, from the late 1980s until 2006.

Arcadian still life, 2004, appears as a simple arrangement of functional vessels. The vessels, however, have been decorated with a cobalt blue underglaze to form a series of seaside drawings, which together represent a coastal landscape. The use of blue and white links Wedd to the traditions of willow pattern, a design originating in England from the eighteenth century onwards in response to Chinese porcelain design.

Rebecca Evans, Curator of Decorative Arts & Design