ClayGraphia
Ceramic Artist, Calligrapher - Marjo Robers
A little bit about myself...
My name is Marjo Roberts and I live in the delightful city of Bathurst in the central west of NSW. Although born in the suburbs of Sydney, I have spent my adult life moving through country towns in central and north western NSW. These were the formative years in clay work, which began in Young in 1973. Calligraphy began 15 years later whilst in Grenfell.
Over the years I have come to love and appreciate the joys of country life. Perhaps the only drawback is the distance between myself and the rest of my family. As my two daughters now live in Sydney with their husbands and children, I am grateful for the ease of travel between Bathurst and Sydney!
Ceramic Artist is a description I am slowly becoming used to. I have been a potter for many, many years but an artist? The term 'ceramic artist' may be recent but I value the opportunity I have been given to combine my love for calligraphy with my passion for clay and turn them into beautiful works of art.
After a long career teaching ceramics in the TAFE system, I was callenged to pursue further studies. The decision to undertake a Master of Arts degree through Charles Sturt Universtiy proved to be a turning point for me both personally and professionally. It was when I seriously undertook to combine my calligraphy skills with clay work that my pottery was pushed into the realm of artwork.
A little bit about my work...
The term 'ClayGraphia' is a simple combination of the words 'clay' and 'calligraphy', which perfectly describes the processes involved in making these pieces. As a calligrapher I am interested in beautiful lettering and as a potter I am interested in clay as the medium for the calligraphy. They are calligraphic works on clay - the integrated use of clay and hand lettering.
Calligraphic presentation utilizes time honoured ceramic techniques such as incising, carving, sgraffito and brush painting. Pieces are made from smooth porcelain and stoneware clays to rugged, coarse clay bodies. Surface treatments are also approached in a variety of ways in order to fully maximize the impact of the lettering. Pieces are polished to refine the surface and either smoked, gilded and/or glazed.Careful consideration is always given to the words. Words have a powerful association with the human spirit, the inner self. For better or for worse, and whatever their source, words convey important and powerful messages which can inspire, encourage, nurture, stimulate and motivate. Words may bring peace, hope and rest or be an expression of joy. Significant words. Words about beautiful words! Words, used wisely or unwisely, may well have the same long-lasting and unalterable impact in a person’s life as words carved and fired in clay.