Greg Sugden & Merrie Hamilton have worked collaboratively under the same mark since 1981.
Their work ranges from small jewellery items and decorative domestic ware to large sculptural pieces.
Their work ranges from small jewellery items and decorative domestic ware to large sculptural pieces.
GREG SUGDEN:
Bachelor of Science 1977.
University of Newcastle.
Self taught ceramic artist.
MERRIE HAMILTON:
Diploma Art Education 1974
National Art School, Newcastle.
Studio Pottery I-III, 1976 - 78
Newcastle Technical College.
Professional ceramic artists working collaboratively under the same mark since 1981.
SUMMARY: Throughout the 1980's, we exhibited in Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra and were published in the ceramic art and craft journals. We were active in the Canberra Arts community with Merrie being vice president of the Crafts Council of the ACT and Greg being a founding board-member of the Canberra Contemporary Art Space. We received an Australia Council Grant to develop new work in 1987. For the past twelve years we have limited ourselves to group exhibitions mostly in Sydney, while using the exhibition space in our studio/gallery in Braidwood as the main outlet for our work since 1994.
SOLO EXHIBITIONS:
1987 "Gone Domestic", Crafts Council ACT Gallery, Canberra.
1989 "Bare to the Bone". Focus Gallery, Crafts Council NSW, Sydney.
1996 "Inlay My Country", Mura Clay Gallery, Sydney.
1994 - Ongoing exhibition of our work in our Braidwood gallery.
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS:
1984 "Ceramic Neckware", Weswal Gallery, Tamworth, NSW
1984 "New Members", Potters Soc. Aust. Gallery, Sydney
1984 "Ceramic Neckware", Balmain Art Gallery, Sydney
1984 "Dynasty, Dallas & Bitumen River", Bitumen River Gallery, Canberra.
1984 "Christmas Collections", Crafts Council NSW Gallery, Sydney.
1985 "Off the Beach", Bitumen River Gallery, Canberra
1985 "Members Annual", Canberra Potters' Society Gallery, Canberra
1985 "Practical Pots", Blaxland Gallery, Sydney
1985 "The Office Environment", Crafts Council ACT' Gallery, Canberra
1985 "Funk and non Func", Bitumen River Gallery, Canberra
1986 'CAPO Portable Craft Exhibition", touring public places in Canberra throughout 1986
1986 "Craft & Touring Exhibition Programme", curated by the Orange Regional Gallery, NSW
1986 Two Person Show, Weswal Gallery, Tamworth, NSW
1986 Annual "Teapot Show", Old Bakery Gallery, Sydney
1986 "Presentation Pieces", Potters Soc. Aust. Gallery, Sydney
1986 "Artists Against Apartheid", Gorman House, Canberra
1987 "Six Canberra Ceramists", Potters Soc. Aust. Gallery, Sydney
1987 "Diverse Dimensions", Gallery Indigenous, Melbourne
1987 "Form & Function 2", The Bowl, Meat Market Craft Centre, Melbourne
1987 "Functional Ceramics", Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery, Launceston, Tasmania
1988 "Made in Canberra", Canberra Contemporary Art Space, Canberra
1988 "A Matter of Taste: Tableware for the Eighties", Potters Soc. Aust. Gallery, Sydney
1988 "Classics at the Craft Centre", Crafts Council NSW Gallery, Sydney
1988 'Eat Art", Ethiopia Aid Tonight, Sydney Showground, Sydney
1988 "Art Teachers Show" Sthn Highlands TAFE teachers, Goulbum Reg. Art Gallery, NSW
1988 "The Teapot Show", Old Bakery Gallery, Sydney
1989 "Sydney Images", Blaxland Gallery, Sydney
1989 "The Fine Art Teapot Show", Inner City Clayworkers' Gallery, Sydney
1989 "Spitten Chips", Gorrnan House, Canberra
1989 "The Creative Table - Domestic Ware for the 1990's", Manly Art Gallery, Sydney
1989 "Capital Art" Selected Members Exhibition", Canberra Contemporary Art Space
1990 "Going Potty - The Amazing Teapot Show', Distelfink Gallery, Melbourne
1990 "The Teapot Show", Inner City Clayworkers' Gallery, Sydney
1990 "The Home Gallery - Ceramic Collectibles", Manly Art Gallery and Museum, Sydney
1990 "1001 Nights", Inner City Clayworkers' Gallery, Sydney
1990 "Conflict of Interest / The Boardroom", Canberra Contemporary Art Space, Canberra
1991 Sidney Myer Fund Australia Day Ceramics Award 1991. Shepparton Art Gallery, VIC.
1991 "Sightlines", Craft Council ACT Gallery, Canberra
1991 "People and the Environment", Studio Altenburg, Braidwood, NSW
1991 "Teapots", The Potters' Gallery, Brisbane
1991 "Wearables Portables", Crafts Council Queensland Gallery, Brisbane
1991 "Wildlife Insights V", The Australian Museum, Sydney
1991 "An Australian Willow Pattern?", The Jam Factory Gallery, Adelaide
1991 "Canberra Souvenir", Canberra Contemporary Art Space, Canberra
1992 Braidwood Heritage Festival Art Competition, Studio Allenburg, Braidwood
1992 The Australian Wearable Art Show, Australian National University, Canberra
1993 "A Renaissance of Tiles", The Jam Factory Gallery, Adelaide
1993 "The Candlestick Show", Old Bakery Gallery, Sydney
1993 "Friends" (Two person show), Back to Back Galleries, Newcastle
1994 "Bodies and Their Ornament", QLD. Potters Society, Fusions Gallery, Brisbane
1994 "Famiglia", Design Plus Gallery, Queanbeyan NSW
1994 "A Vase of Flowers", Goulbum Regional Art Gallery, Goulbum
1995 "Easter Show", Butterflies Gallery, Pokolbin, NSW
1996 "Sentinel", Potters Soc. Aust / Manly Art Gallery & Museum, Sydney
1996 "Diversity", Mura Clay Gallery, Sydney
1997 "The Kutani International Decorative Ceramics Fair", Ishikawa, Japan
1998 "Recycled Canberra" Canberra Museum & Gallery, ACT
1999 "Decorate the Body" Australian Image Gallery, Soc. Arts & Crafts NSW. Sydney
1999 "Home & Hearth" Australian Image Gallery, Soc. Arts & Crafts NSW. Sydney
2000 "Pots at The Rocks" Australian Image Gallery, Soc. Arts & Crafts NSW. Sydney
2000 "Gold, Silver, Bronze" Australian Image Gallery, Soc. Arts & Crafts NSW. Sydney
2001 "Playing With Line" Australian Image Gallery, Soc. Arts & Crafts NSW. Sydney
2001 "Federation Inspiration" Australian Image Gallery, Soc. Arts & Crafts NSW. Sydney
2002 "Urban Edge" Australian Image Gallery, Soc. Arts & Crafts NSW. Sydney
2002 "Rhyme and Rhythm" Australian Image Gallery, Soc. Arts & Crafts NSW. Sydney
2003 "Gillamatong" Braidwood Regional Arts Group National Theatre Braidwood
2003 "Surface Decoration" Australian Image Gallery, Soc. Arts & Crafts NSW. Sydney
2003 "Sydney" Australian Image Gallery, Soc. Arts & Crafts NSW. Sydney
2004 "Place" Australian Image Gallery, Soc. Arts & Crafts NSW. Sydney
2004 "Botannica" Australian Image Gallery, Soc. Arts & Crafts NSW. Sydney
2005 "Two Fires" Braidwood Regional Arts Group. Braidwood NSW.
2006 "Favourite Things" Australian Image Gallery, Soc. Arts & Crafts NSW. Sydney
2006 "A Great Gum Grows" Manly City Art Gallery, Sydney
2007 "Ribbed, Raised & Masked" Craft NSW Gallery, The Rocks, Sydney
2008 "Long Hot Summer" Craft NSW Gallery, The Rocks, Sydney
2008 "Off The Edge" Craft NSW Gallery, The Rocks, Sydney
2008 "Men At Work" Craft NSW Gallery, The Rocks, Sydney
2009 "Hot Work" Craft NSW Gallery, The Rocks, Sydney
2010 "Splash Out" Craft NSW Gallery, The Rocks, Sydney
2010 "The Year of the Tiger" Craft NSW Gallery, The Rocks, Sydney
2010 "The Brag Show' Braidwood Regional Arts Group Annual Exhibition
2010 "Echoes Of Dreams" Craft NSW Gallery, The Rocks, Sydney
Since 1994, our work has been on permanent exhibition in our gallery in Braidwood.
GRANTS:
1986 Project Grant from the Crafts Board of the Australia Council - to develop new work in ceramics
1988 Grant from the ACT. Community Development Fund, Arts Category.
COLLECTIONS:
Art Bank.
Canberra Potters' Society.
Crafts Council ACT.
Griffith Regional Art Gallery
Private Collections - Australia, USA, Canada, Japan.
COMMISSIONS:
1981 Ceramic Buttons for Carla Zampatti Winter Collection 1982.
1987 Ceramic Sign (240em x 90cm) for Canberra Contemporary Art Space.
1990 Nine pieces commissioned for the National Gallery of Australia's shop linked to
"Civilisation: Ancient Treasures from the British Museum" NGA, Canberra.
1992 Limited editions of brooches' for the Art Gallery of NSW shop linked to "Secret Treasures from Russia".
2009 Corporate gifts.
2011 Local Govt. Shires Assoc. Cultural Awards.
PUBLISHED:
2007 "The Science Minister & the Sea Cow" Book of 13 essays - essay :"Towards Standing" by Merrie Hamilton.
2008 "The Big Think" Art / Science picture book on the Big Bang theory by Greg Sugden. www.feralphysicspress.com
2011 "Gaia She's A Tough Bitch" Art / Science picture book on the Gaia theory by Greg Sugden.
"Craft Australia" - Autumn 1988/1, pages 80-82.
"Pottery in Australia", Volume 29/2, Winter 1990, page 7.
"Craft Realities", No.2, 1990, pages 2-4.
"Unreal City", Vol. 1 No. 3, 1990, Canberra Contemporary Art Space, pages 47-50.
"Ceramics Monthly", Vol. 39, No.4, April 1991, pages 14-19.
"Pottery in Australia" Volume 32/3, Spring 1993 pages 28, 29.
OTHER EXPERIENCE:
MERRIE HAMILTON:
1985 -86 Committee Member, Crafts Council ACT..
1987 Vice President, Crafts Council ACT, 1987.
2007-2011 Committee Member Two Fires Festival - Indigenous Stream.
GREG SUGDEN:
1985-1987 Management Committee, Bitumen River Gallery, Artist Run Space, Canberra.
1987-88 Board Member & Exhibitions Committee, Canberra Contemporary Art Space.
1988-95 Freelance photographer of artists' work.
1988 Official "Craft Australia" photographer at the International Master Workshops Canberra School of Art.
Official "Craft Australia" photographer at the International Conference of the World Crafts Council. Sydney.
1990 Official 'Australia Council' photographer at the "Ideas Summit", Old Parliament House, Canberra.
2008-11 Website designer.
2011 Presented seminar on art / science illustration at the Centre for the Public Awareness of Science, Australian National
University, Canberra.
2011 Presented the Fenner Lecture titled 'How Do You Take Your Gaia - Strong or Weak? An art/science approach to
unravelling James Lovelock's Gaia Theory.' at the the Fenner School of Environment & Society. Australian National
University, Canberra.
2012 Upcoming in May The Big Think - an exhibition of 40 drawings describing the big bang theory at CSIRO Discovery,
Canberra.
2011 Presented the Fenner Lecture titled 'How Do You Take Your Gaia - Strong or Weak? An art/science approach to
unravelling James Lovelock's Gaia Theory.' at the the Fenner School of Environment & Society. Australian National
University, Canberra.
2012 Upcoming in May The Big Think - an exhibition of 40 drawings describing the big bang theory at CSIRO Discovery,
Canberra.
Women at Yoga Series
Greg Sugden & Merrie Hamilton