One of the most interesting tasks I encounter as an editor is reading the broad range of articles and opinions which flood into the office via mail, email, catalogues and ceramic magazines from around the world. Some of what I read is wonderful and inspiring and brings me back, again and again to look at the work itself.

Gary Healey’s opinion piece caused me to ponder the variety of ways artists, and others, write about the creative process and the objects we make. In writing about art objects, another level of understanding can be reached beyond that which is possible by simply viewing the work. If done well, the art work and the words can enrich one another. If the artist’s passion for their chosen subject or medium is successfully communicated to the viewer, then they have succeeded; but, if a writer can interpret the work and add to our understanding, we can appreciate the work on a broader level. The best writing does this.

Enjoy the words of Neville French in Luminous as the Moon, Maria Vanhees in A Sense of Belonging and Marilyn Walters writing about the work of Walter Auer in Manifesto Animale. I hope your appreciation of these artists’ work will be enhanced by the writing in these articles, as it gives insights into the inspiration for their work, the ceramic process and their personal approaches to using clay as their chosen medium.
This issue is also full of inspiring images – from the paper kilns on Lake Cootharaba at Noosa to the Durga Puja project at the Art Gallery of NSW and Chris Headley’s installations. At the same time as some will revel in this broad range of approaches to using the ceramic medium, maybe some will also question, as Ellen Currans does in her email on page 3, the changes that are underway. Please write in with your thoughts or participate in our email discussion list.

Be sure to check out the focus and deadline for the three issues in 2008 (see box below). I look forward to helping to promote the wonderful breadth of ceramic practice in Australia and to hearing from you soon.

Photo: Vicki Grima and Paul Dumetz at the Canberra Potter’s Society Members’ Exhibition. Paul was the winner of the Australian Ceramics Merit Award 2007