A Serendipitous Discovery at the Kawartha Arts Festival
Date: 09/05/2013
Bingham Pottery was our first discovery at this year’s arts festival. We were immediately drawn to Jane Bingham’s wall-mounted display of bird and animal face sculptures in earth tones and natural tints. Inspired by her travels in Mexico, the clay artist has turned to hand built sculpture in recent years. Heads of hornbills, pelicans, owls, ospreys, goats, cats, zebras, giraffes, pandas, and koala bears seemed to float against a grey wall. Jane designed the sculptures while on holiday in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico this past spring. She explained to us how important the execution of the eyes and mouths are to the overall effect of the sculptures.
The textured clay surface of some of the animal heads, especially the goats and sheep, exhibited a rough, almost calcified quality, evoking memories of travels to Canada’s barren lands where antlers and caribou skulls, scattered across the grassy tundra, display a mottled, weathered patina, following years of exposure to the harsh elements.
Along with her figurative sculptures, Jane’s tableware line evokes simplicity and calm. Decorated with hand-carved relief and stamped impressions, her home décor pieces feature motifs inspired by nature, including flower petals, dragonflies, and fish. Bowls, platters, trays, mugs, candle holders, and vases, glazed in earth colours such as sage, rust, antique white, light yellow, and green have an elegant, time-worn appearance.
Jane’s pottery is also inspired by her love of arts as well as tropical interior design and architecture. Her creative goal is to incorporate elements from ancient cultures into modern design and create items that are beautiful and functional.
We later returned to Jane’s booth to purchase one of her animal heads. Although it was difficult to decide on just one, we scooped up one of her goat heads, which has earned a place of honour in a room at our weekend place in the Kawarthas.
You won’t want to miss Jane Bingham at the One of a Kind Christmas Show in Toronto from November 28 to December 2, 2013. For more information, you can also visit Jane’s website at www.binghamarts.net.
