‘Derwent River Ascidian Bottles’
In recent years my work has been focused on local Tasmanian marine concerns and investigations sustained by my own observations, scientific papers or research. Initially I was exploring responses to climate change and subsequent species range extension of some species and decline and pressures on others. My porcelain ‘spine’ weavings intertwine the representations of two of these species, the introduced long spined sea urchin (Centrostephanus rodgersii) and Bull Kelp (Durvillaea potatorum). This work explores fragility, interconnectivity and resilience; a probing of Tasmania’s astonishing temperate marine environment’s ability to survive change.
This ultimately led me to work on another marine project with the CSIRO. In 2018 I made 3000 ceramic artificial spawning habitats (ASH) to support the spawning of the critically endangered and charismatic Spotted Handfish (Brachionichthys hirsutus) in the Derwent River. Spotted Handfish survival currently relies partially on production and deployment of these ASH which replace valuable spawning habitat previously provided by stalked ascidians (Sycosoa pulchra). These extraordinarily beautiful marine invertebrates have also been depleted by many factors including the introduction of the invasive Northern Pacific Seastar into the Derwent River.
In some Spotted Handfish sites boat moorings exist where divers found old glass bottles lobbed overboard by yachties. These glass bottles grew algae and had slowly became habitat. Conscious that I have been making clay ASH to replace ascidian habitat, the natural habitat, I began thinking of glass and clay bottles and these essential materials in contrast to polluting plastics. Having the glass bottles in my studio I began to marry these two stories; of bottles and ascidian habitat loss together into my recent handbuilt work ‘Derwent River Ascidian Bottles’. These are formed by sculping small ascidian crowns and coiling porcelain one by one into bottles. This work embodies a new dialogue on habitat loss and marine extinctions and the use of natural materials in offering hope and reaching out to the possibility of an important change in the cultural practice of our time.
