Surface Tensions
Surface Tensions
An exhibition featuring primarily ceramic art and also paintings by
Jennifer Sheridan, Deb Gidley, Anne Sfetkidis, Eileen van Bavel, Eva Vecciarelli, Harry Kyriakou, Josephine Cassar, Leonie Magnuson, Raelene Morley, Shirley Busuttil
7th March to 7th April
Exhibition Opening 5.30 to 7.30 12th March
This exhibition brings together a group of ten artists who share a communal studio in Eltham, working across a range of practices.
Ceramic works vary from free-form sculptural pieces, 2-dimensional wall art, and functional homewares. Paintings are strongly influenced by the beautiful bushland surrounding Eltham
Together, the works reflect a balance between function and expression, showing how practical objects and visual art can mesh beautifully together.
Bolin Bolin Gallery
at Bulleen Art & Garden
6 Manningham Rd W, Bulleen, Victoria 3105 Australia
Josephine Cassar
Josephine Cassar is a ceramic artist and educator and works from her home studio in Naarm/Melbourne. Her ceramic practice, spanning over 20 years, has been a journey of discovery and creativity.
Her technical development and creative expression have been moulded through workshops, residencies and artistic interactions and collaborations with expert ceramicists and artists both overseas and in Australia.
Josephine grew up on the Mediterranean island of Malta where she spent her formative years surrounded by the ruins of neolithic temples and centuries old architecture and art.
In her artistic expression, Josephine navigates between her cultural roots and her lived experience in Australia. She takes a minimalist approach playing with textures and the random application of glazes as an integral part of the creative process.
Raelene Morley
Seated at her pottery wheel in Greensborough is Raelene’s happy place. She rarely has a predetermined shape in mind and this makes the joy of creating very real. Handbuilding is another time when the clay takes the lead and with gentle guidance the form grows from a block of stoneware clay.
Beautiful functional shapes invite beautiful glazes and underglaze painting. No planning, no sketches: just the flowing movement of a brush. Her love of gardening sits nicely beside her love of pottery creation. Colours, shapes, textures are all around her. Raelene is known for her bubble decorations that have such a natural, rhythmic flow. She loves making vases, bowls and plates.
Raelene has showcased her ceramics at markets, the Diversarty and Creative Industries exhibitions in Eltham, and has featured as a solo artist in the Eltham Library community art space. She believes that every day she pots is another day when she learns.
Jen Sheridan
Like so many others, Jen first fell for ceramics in high school. 45 years later, arriving at a ceramics class in Eltham, her hands still knew what to do. Over the last few years Jen has been a regular at the Eltham shared studio, spent 3 weeks in a pottery studio in Japan, and has exhibited her work several times. Focussing on handbuilding, Jen uses coil and slab techniques to create works which are both functional and highly textured. Decorative elements often reflect the rocky soils and contours of the land. Each piece is finished with slips, oxides and glazes using colours drawn from the Australian bush.
Debora Gidley
Debora is a multidisciplinary artist working across painting, ceramics and felting. Her work is colourful, whimsical and often features animals. She focuses on strong colour, clear forms and a sense of character in each piece.
Painting and ceramics are her main mediums. Her paintings use layered colour and confident mark-making to create lively animal subjects. Her ceramic pieces are more art-focused than functional, with sculptural forms and illustrated surfaces that give each work its own personality.
Leonie Magnuson
Leonie Jane has been a maker for as long as she can remember, always experimenting and finding new ways to express herself. Working with clay for the past seven years, she is drawn to its endless possibilities — how a simple lump of earth can be shaped into forms both functional and sculptural. She enjoys combining different clay bodies for their natural textures and often leaves surfaces unglazed, allowing the material’s raw character to remain present.
Eileen van Bavel
Eileen has always loved painting and ceramics and is inspired by the amazing gum trees and flora surrounding Eltham .
Anne Sfetkidis
My clay addiction began in the 70’s at the Carlton Arts Centre, further fuelled by workshops at the old Northcote Pottery.
I suppose I should mention that I taught ceramics and textiles in high school for about 40 years too.
Next level addiction began at the Eltham Living & Learning Centre: best retirement move ever! I actually get to finish things now, surrounded by an encouraging bunch of creatives. Sooo inspiring!
Shirley Busuttil
After a thirty-year hiatus, Montmorency-based artist Shirley has
returned to her lifelong love of hand-building. Her work is a
tactile exploration of organic shapes and raw textures,
characterised by the subtle, earthy tones of oxides rather than
bright glazes. Every planter is unique, reflecting Shirley’s belief
that ceramics should be functional, natural, and compliment
what is growing within.
Eva Vecchiarelli
Eva is a potter based in Greensborough, Melbourne, and has been making ceramics since 2021. Eva works mainly with porcelain clay to create both functional and sculptural pieces. Eva draws a lot of inspiration from Australian plants, animals, and landscapes, and is deeply influenced by her love of nature. Each piece is handmade and designed to be used, held, and enjoyed as part of everyday life. Eva’s work is shared under the name Yellow Seed Designs
Harry Kyriakou
As a relative newcomer to ceramics, Harry Kyriakou creates functional art that reflects his deep connection to the natural world. In the past he has worked in architecture and graphic design and is currently a horticulturist and garden designer.
His ceramics are hand built using clays such as White Raku and BRT. He employs various layering and glazing techniques to achieve tones and textures reminiscent of the natural environment.
Harry is inspired by Japanese aesthetics, in particular the acceptance of transience and imperfection.
He is currently creating some new pieces for wood firing in March 2026.
More images of the exhibition
Setting Up
