Morphogenesis - the sculpture of Joy Georgeson
Nourishing the soul
Joy Georgeson, Shadows in the Forest, 2014, Ceramic
Joy Georgeson studied the Higher
Diploma of Teaching Secondary Arts and Crafts course with an
extraordinary group of lecturers at Melbourne State College (MSC) in
the early 1970's. The Sculpture and Ceramics Department were on the
same floor next to each other and ideas and friendships flowed
between both. John Teschendorff, Noel Flood and Don Wordsworth were
the dynamic teachers at that time who nurtured an environment of
experimentation, daring, excitement and professionalism. They were
all practicing artists who communicated their love of the medium but
embraced other disciplines and unusual methods of solving problems.
In 1975 Agi Yoeli, an Israeli ceramic
sculptor who was Artist-In-Residence introduced Joy to the
technique of hollow hand-building that inspired her to create a life
size Giant Anteater, much to the delight of the lecturers. More
animals followed, often based on observations made at Melbourne Zoo
where her husband worked, and on the cats that roamed her studio.
After moving to a bush block in southern NSW in 1980 her work became
less literal as she explored visual metaphors inspired by Australian
native mammals like squirrel gliders and marsupial mice.
After diagnosis of, and treatment for,
breast cancer her work took on a new dimension based on a merging of
carnivorous plants and female forms. These 'carnivorous women'
represented a type of catharsis in response to the issues faced when
dealing with a potentially life threatening disease.
Joy Georgeson, Fecund Fungi, 2006, Ceramic
More recently, Joy has returned
to the animal sculptures that were her trademark. But after many
years observing the decline in respect for the environment her
sculptures have a stronger message concerning conservation and
spirituality. Animals that once were decorated in earthy glazes with
a highlight of gloss to represent texture are now embellished with
stories telling of the origins of life on Earth and our relationship
with them.
Joy Georgeson, Kookaburra Post (with dragonfly detail), 2015, Ceramic
The influence of the years at MSC has
had a lifetime effect on the artist who went on to teach art in
Victorian, NSW and ACT schools and colleges for 23 years as well as
exhibiting her work. After retiring from teaching she joined the
ACT's Strathnairn Arts Association as a studio holder, and then moved
to Wallaga Lake near Bermagui in 2007 where she found new inspiration
in the coastal and estuarine environment.
Joy Georgeson, Angelic Egret, 2007, Ceramic
Camel Rock is a distinctive formation of rocks and headland nestled in the shadow of Gulaga Mountain just north of the coastal village of Bermagui on the NSW far south coast. It is a place of great significance to the local Yuin aboriginal community. Home to sea eagles, terns, cormorants and reef herons it also provides Joy with inspiration for her most recent sculptures.
Joy says "When I visit Camel
Rock, I am awed by the presence of rocks millions of years old and
can see many creatures in their forms that remind me of fossils and
our ancient evolutionary history. I wonder at the diversity, yet
similarity between species and believe that through the process of
evolution we are an integral part of Nature. It is said that the
ancestor of every human was a fish, but I believe our lineage began
with the first signs of life in the early history of the Earth. My
art is about our great family history."
"My sculptures reflect my need for
contact with natural phenomena such as the sea, animals, plants and
the cycles of nature, which provide me with psychological and
spiritual nourishment. I have developed my own 'creation stories' in
the works, based on science and my imagination. The underlying
message is to raise an awareness of the importance of conserving and
valuing the balance and harmony between humans and nature."
Joy Georgeson, Out of the Ocean, 2015, Ceramic
For Joy, being in the natural environment is more than just a pleasant experience. It is an integral part of 'being'. An avid recorder she keeps journals, sketchbooks and photographs the natural world on a daily basis. Whether it is at the coast or in the forested and mountainous hinterland she seeks out the minute amongst the obvious and sees the connection between all. We might look at rocks and see geological formations. Joy looks at rocks and sees the history of the world.
Using hand building clays, fired to
1200 degrees Celsius in an electric kiln, she cuts slabs from the
block and shapes hollow forms that are joined together into the basic
structure using temporary supporting pillars made from clay. Then
surface texture, animals and female forms are incorporated to
finalise the piece before glazing. Large scale works, some over two
metres high, are made in modules that slot together. She also loves
the Raku process, or "Racooee" as she calls it, which is
used on smaller works.
Joy Georgeson working in her studio