Ian Dowling

While Ian uses a diverse range of ceramic production techniques to work across all scales, each of the forms of his art are closely interrelated.

"Using the medium of ceramics I work to produce three broad formats of related visual art."

I use repetition of related elements across large surfaces to develop rhythm and perception of movement. These wall or floor pieces can be temporary as in the recent Fremantle Arts Centre exhibition or permanent as in public and private art commissions. To see this work...

Individual ceramic sculptural forms are built using a variety of techniques. Currently these explore contrasting surfaces contained in fragmented pieces, small parts of a whole. Most of this work implies unbounded space beyond the piece itself. To see recent examples...

The design of innovative pieces for the presentation of food using techniques and concepts found in the other areas of my practice. These pieces are suited to larger scale production

More about Ian

Further...

Ian continues to make individual vessel forms, sometimes functional, sometimes purely sculptural. These are usually high-fired stoneware with iron and copper stained glazes over finely carved surfaces. They include functional items like teapots, tea bowls, bowls, elongated serving dishes, platters and vase forms.

The production pots Ian makes are a range of sturdy, functional stoneware with form and decoration appropriate to their purpose. It is Ian's intention that these pots will not only perform well, but that they will bring great pleasure in their everyday use.

Over the last twenty years, Ian has increased his involvement with large-scale modular ceramic work for public art, sometimes freestanding, sometimes integrated into building projects.

These use cast 3D ceramic tiles and forms or reshaped wheel-thrown pieces as building blocks. They include textural work for walls or curved surfaces and arrangements of multiple stacked blocks. Each project has some connection with the rhythmic pattern possibilities when using many similar shapes together.