Lene is a Danish-born artist now living in a leafy-green suburb in Melbourne's north-east. Her Scandinavian aesthetic can still be seen throughout her work, even though she has called Melbourne home for nearly three decades.
Lene studied ceramics for four years at Denmark's Kolding School of Arts & Crafts in the mid 70s. She worked in production-pottery in Copenhagen for several years, while exhibiting and selling her own work, and co-created a giant ceramic mural in Norway before before moving to Australia.
She worked with other Melbourne ceramists in the 80s and taught pottery classes before opening her Heidelberg home-studio in '92.
All of Lene's work is hand-thrown and she prefers to sketch designs with the clay when it's on the wheel, rather then drawing ideas on paper. The beautiful one-of-a-kind vases above, immediately caught my eye when I visited her studio. The surface is hand-carved using a small looped tool (& a steady hand) while the clay is in the 'leather-hard' stage of drying. The black version has an extra glaze and is slightly larger than its white sibling.
I asked Lene what inspires her and what she loves most about Australia...
I have been inspired by Australian nature and its environment like the beach, it's colours and shapes. I like the sense of vastness and the different environments in Australia... also the energy found in the big cities and finding that not everything is too 'polished'. I think there is a lot to treasure and to look after for the future... in regard to the environment and how it's used and exploited and how we want to live in this fragile place.
Lene's ceramics have been exhibited nationally & internationally
and she's had many solo shows all over the country.
find these five beautiful works have just been added to the store!
it's a joy to welcome Lene & to have her handmade-goodness on the shelves
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