Be inspired by the world of ceramics

The Be Inspired festival at RMIT's historic Ceramics Studio will showcase the breadth of talent in Victoria by bringing together ceramicists, lecturers, students, professional artists, teachers, novices and anyone who has an interest in clay and its unique creative properties.

Each day will begin with a series of artist talks, followed by demonstrations of ceramic making and decorating by artists and postgraduate students.

Studio Coordinator of Ceramics in RMIT's School of Art, Sally Cleary, said the festival was an unmissable opportunity for lovers of art and craft to see behind the scenes of a working ceramics studio.

"This is the first time for several decades that an event like this has been held in Melbourne," Ms Cleary said.

"The students and staff are very excited to have this opportunity to bring together some highly talented artists who are largely unheard of in the wider art community.

"Ceramics is an incredibly versatile and seductive material that can produce artworks of both a functional and sculptural nature - there is something for everyone in the world in ceramics."

The invited artists include:

• Vipoo Srivilasa, a flamboyant Thai sculptor, who hand-builds bright and colourful, weird and wonderful creatures
• Marianne Huhn, who creates narrative vessels with architectural motifs, which are thrown from porcelain on the potters' wheel
• David Ray, one of Melbourne's rising stars in the art world, who explores a more avant-garde approach to making forms that reference Rococo ceramics, with a contemporary twist
• Kris Coad, a lecturer in the Ceramics Studio, who crosses both worlds with her seductive range of porcelain tableware, and contemporary installation artworks

Full day sessions for the Be Inspired festival cost $120 (single day) or $200 (both days). Secondary students, full-time tertiary students and RMIT alumni receive a 50 per cent discount. Bookings can be made online.

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