Avenue of the Moon i
I was browsing various sites one night when I came across the Buller Arts site and discovered Lesley Towart. I then checked her out here and immediately sent Lesley the most politest persuasive email ever, hoping to entice her on board!
And it worked as the reply came whizzing back, Thank you for your email. I am delighted to be asked to be part of Poems in the Waiting Room and yes, I would like to take part in this.
Lesley says:
I live in Granity where the wild and beautiful West Coast environment is a rich source of inspiration for me. I am drawn to the beauty of the flotsam washed ashore by the sea; driftwood, stones, metal, glass and bone; their surfaces worn and transformed. The bush yields relics of the past and these scarred artifacts also inspire and inform my work; concrete steps, mossy and crumbling; ancient rusted machinery with studded joints and eroded surfaces patinated by constant exposure to the elements.
The direction and development of my work is influenced by my travels in Asia. The spiritual rituals of different cultures cause me to examine my own beliefs, and are a catalyst for self insight and creative exploration.
Divinity
In my latest body of work I use a white clay with a slightly coarse texture which makes it suitable for hand building and slab work. I combine this clay with a paper slurry which then allows me to roll flat slabs which will not warp or crack when fired. I experiment with surface texture by scratching, impressing and carving to create cracks and fissures in the clay. These echo the changes created by the forces of nature and the passage of time.
Compassion i
I love colour and texture and this passion draws me to constant experimentation with new glazes. I enjoy the ongoing experimentation that yields results suitable for my time-worn surfaces.
Invocation
Reliquaries of Containment series i
Bellamys at Five 