Celebrating Makers: Clay

Thu 18 Feb – Sun 28 Feb, 10am–4pm each day

Visit the pop up clay studio in Toi Art to see four contemporary ceramic artists at their craft: Stevei Houkāmau, Kumiko Jacolin, Tracy Keith, and Richard Stratton.

Watch them work from 10am to 4pm each day, and take part in workshops and events hosted by the artists.

The Artists:

Stevei Houkāmau (Ngāti Porou, Te Whānau ā Apanui, Rangitāne)

Stevei's journey with uku started with a small pinch pot at a wananga with Wi Taepa, Manos Nathan and Baye Riddell in 2011. From that moment on, her fascination, commitment and love of uku has continued to grow. Stevei is a member of Ngā Kaihanga Uku (Maori Clay workers Collective) and has exhibited both nationally and internationally. Her first solo exhibition, He Kakano was shown at Pātaka Art + Museum in Porirua in 2020.

Kumiko Jacolin

Kumiko is a Japanese ceramic artist, researcher, and PhD candidate focusing on James Greig – a New Zealand potter inspired by Kanjiro Kawai, a ceramic artist from Kyoto, Japan. Kumiko is originally from Tokyo, but has been in Wellington since 2013, following 17 years in Europe. She is a member of the Ceramics Association of New Zealand and the Wellington Potters Association. Her works have been nominated for the Ceramicus exhibitions from 2017–2019 and she was a finalist at the 2018 Portage Ceramic Awards.

Tracy Keith (Ngā Puhi)

Tracy creates work in a range of media, but has developed a special relationship with clay that began two decades ago at Waiariki Polytechnic under the tuition of George Andrews. Tracy’s work has been included in many exhibitions, including the touring show Whenua Hou: New Maori Ceramics in 2018 and Dirty Ceramics at the Dowse Art Museum in 2019-20. In early 2019, he had a solo exhibition at Pataka Art + Museum, He oko nā Hine – Vessels of our Sacred Female Deity.

Richard Stratton

Richard is a ceramic artist with a keen interest in historical techniques. His work has been exhibited widely in New Zealand and overseas, and his works are included in private and public collections including Te Papa and The Dowse Art Museum and the Real Art Road show. Richard studied at Otago School of Arts graduating with a diploma in Ceramic Arts in 1994. His work overseas has included a Portage Ceramic award residency in Denmark in 2015. Two years later he was awarded premier prize at the Portage Ceramic Awards in New Zealand.

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