Published in Ceramics Monthly, January 2020
I met Sandy Lockwood in 2017 during my three-month artist residency in Sydney, Australia. A mutual friend, Penny Ryan, drove me out to the scenic Southern Highlands to visit Lockwood at her Balmoral studio during her annual open house. Lockwood has always been entranced by atmospheric firing, and has established herself over the last four decades as a formidable wood and salt firer. I was immediately struck by Lockwood’s nuanced understanding of the sensual in her glazing and in her straightforward yet absolutely considered approach to design, form, and function. Lockwood’s chawans, or teabowls, exude a perfect balance of the abandon of wabi-sabi (the Japanese aesthetic of perfection in imperfection), and the precision of a master craftsperson. As with the lidded forms, the surface textures invite touch. Be it rough or smooth, it is viscerally satisfying to hold each piece in the palms of your hands. I couldn’t leave without adding a tiny wood fired, salt-glazed shooter glass to my collection. In May of 2019, I was invited to present and exhibit at the Australian Ceramics Triennale held in Hobart, Tasmania. I made it a priority to attend Lockwood’s session. I found myself rapt; Lockwood’s journey is a story worth the telling and, in my opinion, the key points, findings, and summations of her thesis should be within reach of every artist’s studio.
