Today, the Rick Rudd Foundation is pleased to announce the winner of the $15,000
Emerging Practitioner in Clay Award. This award was established in 2018 by Rick
Rudd to encourage, foster and promote those makers who have not achieved
national recognition. It is limited to those makers who have been working with clay
for five years or less. Its aim is to give the recipient a financial boost to enable them
to progress their journey with clay.
Photographic entries were submitted by 76 practitioners. From these, the judges;
namely gallery owner Anna Miles, ceramist Bronwynne Cornish, and studio potter
Rick Rudd, selected 34 works. The works will be shown in an exhibition at Quartz,
Museum of Studio Ceramics in Whanganui.
The judges said, “It was a pleasure to encounter a number of thrilling, highly
distinctive ceramic statements among the strong selection of works submitted”. The
exhibition includes works from around Aotearoa New Zealand, ranging in styles,
techniques and aesthetics encompassing all aspects of working with clay from the
humble to the extraverted. It demonstrates that the future of studio ceramics in this
country looks lively and positive!
For the first time, a second award has been given, being a month long residency at
the Glasgow Street Arts Centre in Whanganui, provided by the Supporting Artists
Through Residencies Trust. This residency has also been supported with a stipend
of $4,800 from Creative New Zealand.
33 works were finally received, as unfortunately one was broken prior to sending.
The Judges Selections:

‘Henri’ a work by Helen Bakker from Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, was chosen
as the Award winning work. Henri is a sophisticated work and its treatment is
sensitive and understated. It’s animated cheeky sideways look totally engages
the viewer.

‘Duality’ a work by Lucy Hunter from Ōtepoti Dunedin, was chosen for the new
residency award. Duality is an expressive vessel with vibrant colour, attractive
texture, and an intriguing depiction of long-armed alien figures emerging from
it.

Both winning works are figurative in nature but have singularly different attitude and
execution.
The exhibition of all 33 works will be on show for six months from 24 September
2024 at Quartz, Museum of Studio Ceramics, 8 Bates Street, Whanganui.

‘Henri’ a work by Helen Bakker from Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, was chosen as the Award winning work.

‘Duality’ by Lucy Hunter from Ōtepoti Dunedin.