Vase, Shoe, Dahlia

“These three still-life groups have been sourced from Frances Hodgkin’s paintings.

Frances herself would often, while staying at the homes of friends, sketch jugs and vases that caught her eye. Back in her studio she would compose still-life groups from these drawings, often using a favourite item in more than one painting.

Likewise, I have chosen my favourites from Frances Hodgkins’ paintings and composed my own groups.

I particularly like that she used a shoe in ‘Self Portrait’ – to represent herself.”

Bronwynne Cornish 2017

Bronwynne Cornish is one of New Zealand’s best known ceramic artists. She is an important figure in the recent history of New Zealand ceramics, in her role as both an artist and a teacher.

Since beginning to work in clay in 1968, she has developed a practice which is largely sculptural, including man installations and large works.  Her central themes reflect a strong interest in place, ritual and mythology.

Cornish represented New Zealand at the Brisbane triennial in 1996 and had a solo show at the Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki in 2002.

In 2014 a major survey of Cornish’s work between 1982 and 2013, titled Mudlark, was organised by MTG (Museum Theatre Gallery) Hawkes Bay and also shown at the Gus Fisher Gallery in Auckland. In 2015 this exhibition showed at the Dowse Art Museum in Lower Hutt.

Cornish’s career spans over 45 years and her work is held in many public collections, including the Auckland War Memorial Museum, the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Trade, The Wallace Collection, the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa and the Kobayashi Collection, Tokyo.

Cornish notes –

“I make work that I hope will create a certain atmosphere, ring a long-lost bell and help people create their own mythologies.”