Hi,
My art practise is based upon two simple things.
Paper and clay.
I create and fire paperclay sculptures, and carve compressed paper sculptures.
After my first demonstration in 1993, I begun to receive regular requests for workshops and demonstrations. The number of requests has been consistent for the last decade, at about a dozen per year.
I accept most interstate and overseas requests, but with a young family I have had to limit these to two months per year.
To satisfy an overwhelming demand for information and images I created this website. Last year it received about 1.5 million hits (86,000 visitors).
Local people wanted community classes in pottery and sculpture techniques, so I started these in 1998.
The interest in my work has resulted in a growing number of interstate and international exhibitions, as well as fuelling my appetite to learn more about how the arts and crafts, and society are organised.
My ceramic paperclay work is an attempt to illustrate this on-going interest in the organisation of the arts and crafts, and society.
I am inspired by architecture and local plants, while trying to suggest the cycles, rigidities and dynamic nature of our society, and myself.
My compressed paper sculptures are a by-product of office work, research, everyday correspondence and junk mail. Since 1994 it has been a way to create silence in a world of information overload.
Despite the promise of the "paperless office" we still keep paper to hand and it can become a symbol of emotional attachment and a link with loved ones. Read more.
I hope you enjoy the work and find the 90+ pages in this website useful, entertaining and informative.
A big "thank you" to the many people who have kindly shared their experiences and information with me.
I hope this website will in someway repay their kindness, by sharing with you what I have learnt from them.
Cheers
GRAHAM HAY
Double click image for quality print (Photo: Frances Dennis).
