Donna Hitchcock is one of the three artists in The Potters exhibition.
Donna Hitchcock is one of the three artists in The Potters exhibition.
Three local potters are showcasing their work at an Eltham Gallery.
The Potters exhibition is on show at Eltham's Village Gallery. For the past 10 years Stratford artists Donna Hitchcock and Robyn Smaller and Midhirst artist Margaret Foley have joined forces and hosted an exhibition at the gallery during the Taranaki Fringe Garden Festival.
Donna says she met Robyn and Margaret at Margaret's pottery classes.
"We all work really well together. In the past, we've made our creations at each other's places and gotten everything ready for the exhibition. We spend half of the year working on the exhibitions."
"I taught the classes for 18 years. I attended numerous workshops and national pottery conventions with international tutors."
Margaret Foley has a range of pieces in the exhibition.
Margaret built a large wood-fired salt kin when she first started pottery.
"I built this with Bev Rea and Janet Smith many years ago. Salt firing is my passion. It took three days and nights to fire it. We did more than 200 works in each firing. Now, I have an old electric kiln. Age has put a stop to salt-firing, which was certainly my greatest passion. Most of my works are smaller and hand-built now. Kilns have changed, clay has changed, and prices of clay have changed. Now we can buy stains, glazes and kilns that do much of the work."
Margaret says she's had a passion for pottery since she first touched clay.
'Some days the clay decides what happens and that's perfectly okay. I make whatever I feel like making at the time."
Robyn uses an LPG gas-fired kin.
"Opening my kiln after a glaze-firing is such a thrill. I like to repurpose the treasure I find in thrift shops. These become individually handcrafted, often quirky creations for the home and garden. I never run out of ideas. I have made so many friends through pottery, including Margaret and Donna."
Robyn Smaller's dream catchers.
Donna says the exhibition, which features around 40 pieces from each artist, has a garden focus.
"We've made pieces people can put in their garden or around their home. They've been selling quite well. Each year we've always been quite successful which we're incredibly grateful for."
Donna says her favourite part of hosting exhibitions is meeting new people.
"Over the years we've met a lot of different people with a common interest in art. We love seeing people visit our little gallery in Eltham."
Robyn and Donna are committee members of the gallery, and Donna says it's a great place to volunteer her time.
Donna Hitchcock's succulent pots.
"It's a nice bunch of like-minded people. We're always looking for more committee members. One of the perks of being a member is at the back of the gallery there is a space for committee members to sell their works."
