Antarctica inspires winning artist

Wellington artist Raewyn Atkinson won the premier prize in the Portage Ceramic Awards in Auckland last night.

The awards offer ceramic artists a showcase for their work and the chance to win one of four prizes, including the $10,000 premier award.

Atkinson's winning work was inspired by explorers of Antarctica and relics they left on the continent.

Judge Patsy Hely said Atkinson's work was characterised by beautiful materials and surfaces.

"Her work is very intelligent and well-considered but still not so ordered as to deny its strong sense of poetry and poignancy," she said.

Atkinson has exhibited internationally, and her work is in collections at Te Papa, the Dowse Art Museum, the Auckland Museum, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and the Museum of Contemporary Ceramic Art in Japan.

She has had artistic residencies in Antarctica, Australia and Japan, and worked as a guest ceramics tutor throughout New Zealand.

Tauranga artist John Roy won the merit award for his earthenware work, Man With Burden.

Wellington-based Japanese artist Aya Sato won the emergent artist award with the installation Without You Knowing Anything About It.

Sato, trained in Kyoto, Japan, and in Hawkes Bay, has exhibited in New Zealand and Italy. This is the third year she has entered the Portage awards.

Unitec tutor and technician Danny Rowlandson, a Glen Eden resident, won the Waitakere artist award. Rowlandson, who works in ceramics and glass, has worked as technical assistant to New Zealand, American and European artists.

Ms Hely said ceramics were again becoming popular after being out of favour for 10 to 15 years.

"One theory ... is that it is a reaction against digitisation, that there is a veracity about the three-dimensional quality of the objects which can't be denied."

An exhibition of the finalists' works will run at Lopdell House Gallery in West Auckland from today until December 5.

- NZPA