About
Jane's formal ceramic practice began with a Bachelor of Art Education, majoring in Ceramics, in Melbourne (1982), and she holds a Masters of Fine Art by research (RMIT, 2002) titled The Evocative Object, which investigated the power of the functional object to be a catalyst for communication through the sense of touch. She then undertook further full-time ceramics training with Andrew Halford, Sydney(1982-85) and Shussai-gama, Japan(1985-87). Jane was lured to Edinburgh, Scotland where she exhibited throughout the UK (1987-1990). She returned to Melbourne in 1990 and established an inner-city studio making ceramics to order, by commission and by exhibition.
Jane's work has received many awards and is held in institutional and private collections and she exhibits widely in Australia. Her practice has taken her to international residencies and exhibitions in UK, US, Denmark, China, Taiwan and Japan and her work has been featured in many publications including Slipware (V&M Eden, UK). Her installation River Transitions is showing in the Taiwan Ceramics Biennale, Yingge Ceramics Museum, until 27 December 2026.
Jane has served on the board of Craft Victoria,The World Crafts Council - Australia and is a member of the International Academy Ceramics. She is the founder of Slow Clay Centre, an independent ceramics education centre in Melbourne, where she supports, teaches and mentors emerging practitioners within a team of committed and encouraging artist-teachers.
Artist Statement “Fluid, gestural and tactile, my work reflects an interest in, or perhaps an obsession with materiality, movement and engagement through the sense of touch. Whether I am making a humble cup or an altered and manipulated piece, the physicality of the relationship between clay and our bodies interests me. Clay, like flesh, responds to and reflects touch. Using very soft clay and wet slip (a creamy clay coating) the fluidity of the material encourages movements to be simplified, refined and “choreographed” – an essence of the expression of gesture. Through this language of touch I seek to provoke intimacy and connection from wet clay to the "fired-frozen" object and it's life beyond my hands. Objects that will inhabit other environments whether domestic, gallery or landscape, can provide multiple dimensions for reading. To directly manipulate molecules of clay, millions of years old, a material created by planetary and earthen movement, is a privilege I do not take lightly. It also underpins an exploration of earth and water politics that guides recent concepts."