South Australian ceramic artist Stephen Bowers creates richly decorated ceramics which reflect his interest in aspects of craft traditions, natural history, memory and commentary.
‘I am interested in the ability to look back and re contextualise stories, interpret meanings and examine the legacy of traditions. As well as studying the Australian urban landscape I look at its biological and zoological information and explore Australia’s diverse and multiform human culture. I treat ceramics as a blank canvas upon which I can create pictures, working with unusual decorative techniques more often encountered outside of the familiar patch of the potter. A lot of my images arise in spontaneous ways – a sort of improvised stream of unconsciousness and I explore skills and techniques – particularly the traditional ceramic arts and crafts of the Orient and Europe.’
Stephen Bowers has exhibited both nationally and internationally and his work is held in a number of private and public collections.
Public Collections include:
Art Gallery of South Australia; Los Angeles County Museum of Modern Art; Museum of International Ceramic Art, Denmark; National Museum of History, Taipei, Taiwan.
Stephen Bowers was the subject of a solo exhibition Unearthed in September 2018.