“People like to see a variety but, of course, when I see something I like I’m automatically attracted to it.” As she was with Gina’s work.
Gina studied art at UCOL before becoming a mum and a teacher. She taught at Whanganui High School.
“I’ve always painted so I thought I’d do pottery as a challenge ... from two-dimensional to three-dimensional. It’s a medium that provokes structural thinking. I have been making with clay for three years.”
She also creates stylised birds from clay. Her Māori background inspires her to create such things in a modern Māori way, taking traditional forms and updating them. The birds are a case in point. Her potter’s mark is a stamp of a bird.
Gina is Whanganui born and bred. “All my family are talented and creative people,” she says. “I think it’s in the genes to create.”
She enjoys making bodies, portraits, heads. “Just to get the proportions right is a challenge, and then getting an expression on the face. It takes a lot of fiddling over days. My latest work is exploring masks and about how hiding emotions is often easier than sharing them.
“I’m lucky to have this out in a nice gallery.”
She says her sculptures are one-off original pieces.
“I start with a pinch pot and build on the form by adding coils of clay and dabs. It takes days to reflect on and alter a piece. The sale price is affordable to cover the cost of clay, glazes and firing twice in the kiln.”
Street Level Studio Gallery is the work of artist Karen Taylor, whose paintings and ceramics adorn the gallery. The rear section is her studio where creativity is practically non-stop. She regularly exhibits the work of a guest artist in the window and in the gallery.
You can follow Gina’s progress by visiting Street Level or Gina’s Instagram page little_fern_nz
