Established in 2001 and administered by Te Uru, The Portage Ceramic Awards is Aotearoa’s best-known barometer for developments in the field of ceramics.
This year’s event has been judged by renowned Australian potter and educator, Merran Esson. Esson has been working internationally for more than 40 years but this will be her first visit to Aotearoa. Her own work is distinctive for the textures and large forms that express the contrast between the extremes of country and city. She uses clay and glazes to reference water tanks, silos and corrugated iron, which remind us of the influence of history and place, and recall her rural childhood.
Te Uru is pleased to announce Northland-based potter, Mark Mitchell, as the Premier Award Winner of the 2019 Portage Ceramic Awards for his work, Slice. Esson also presented two Merit Awards to Dunedin-based artists Blue Black for Musical Chairs, and to Kylie Matheson for Yoke. A further two Honourable Mentions were awarded to Aaron Scythe for, Pairing, and to last year’s Premier Award winners, Sang-Sool Shim and Keum-Sun Lee for their work, Where the Wind is Born.
Congratulations to all Portage 19 finalists: Stephen Aitken, Karin Amdal, Greg Barron, Blue Black, Maria Brockhill, Jane Burn, Madeleine Child, Lisa Donaldson, Karuna Douglas, Lis Downey, Nicola Everett, Liz Fea, Kate Fitzharris, Yasmin Franzmayr-Davis, Steve Fullmer, Renate Galetzka, Mandy Gargiulo, Mark Goody, Bridie Henderson, Anne Hudson, Jinho Jeong, Chuck Joseph, Louis Kittleson, Nicole Kolig, Temmina Kuijpers, Helen Lenihan, Jane McCulla, Matt McLean, Melissa McMahon, Kylie Matheson, EM Mertens, Michael Michaels, Mark Mitchell, Gaeleen Morley, Rachael Murphy, John Parker, Aiden Rail, Robin Ranga, Louise Rive, Robin Rive, Rick Rudd, Aaron Scythe, Sang-Sool Shim & Keum-Sun Lee, Emily Siddell, Annie Smits Sandano, Katherine Smyth, Anthea Stayt, Christine Thacker, Cat Thompson, Janna van Hasselt, Jenny Wilson, Delia Woodham, Helen Yau.
The award winners were announced at the Awards Night held at Te Uru in Titirangi on 21 November 2019.
The winner of the 2019 People’s Choice Award was Robin Ranga, for An Offering
Image: Katherine Smyth, Fruit