Craft / Canberra Potters Members Exhibition. At Watson Arts Centre until November 1.  Reviewed by MEREDITH HINCHLIFFE

The annual Members Exhibition of the Canberra Potters Society presents an opportunity for all members to exhibit their most recent work.

All members are invited to participate and ten different awards are presented recognising the quality of the exhibits.

The main award, the Doug Alexander Memorial Award, is awarded annually, and commemorates the potter Doug Alexander who played an important role in the development of ceramics in the ACT.

This year the award was given to Cathy Franzi for her three-piece work titled Bottlebrush with Two Orchids. It is elegant, restrained, evocative and most deserving of the top award.

Surface decoration in ceramic works is as important as the form, and they need to be in total harmony. Robyn Campbell was awarded for surface decoration for two works, Living Edge 1 and Living Edge 2. They offer a birds eye view of the ins and outs of any coastline, with rivulets, spits and estuaries. This coastline is delicate, with tiny spines similar to a sea creature. The surface decoration complemented the form, and both pieces are evocative.

An award for Handbuilding was made to Moraig McKenna for a tall work, with a manipulated surface. Under my skin-Blue and White No.20. McKenna has recently returned from a trip to China and it likely incorporates materials she brought home with her. The surface is marked with a regular pattern of dimples, made from inside the vessel. This creates visual interest to the surface, and the glaze emphasises movement and surface tension. McKenna recently had a successful exhibition at the Watson Arts Centre and is an artist to watch.

Melissa Gabelle is showing a hand-built vessel which I found very appealing. It is colourful, with a multi-coloured decorative and playful surface.

In earlier times, the Canberra Potters Society had a selection process for the annual exhibitions. Members submitted works, and they were selected by a judge or judges, who also selected the prizewinning works. I feel that this created a stronger exhibition, with more successful pieces being displayed.

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