Therese McMahon
Ceramics
Maker Members
Therese is a regional ceramic artist from Wollongong, NSW. Completing a degree in Fine Arts at Wagga in 1981, she pursued ceramics as her chosen medium. Throughout the 80s and 90s she attended workshops and lectures to broaden her knowledge and skills in her practice. Artists such as Greg Daly, Jeff Mincham, Mitsu Shoji, Ivan Englund, Peter Lane and recently Juz Kitson. She has been a member of The Australian Ceramics Association for over 20 years.
For over 40 years she has used stoneware clays and various decorative techniques to create her works. Examples of techniques she uses include layering glazes to create depth and impressions of oceans, wetlands and Australian bush flowers. Also she draws and carves into the surface, inlaying colours into her drawings.
She has exhibited in many group shows over the years and has been selected as a finalist in prestigious awards such as the Siliceous Award for Ceramic Excellence in 2023. She is a teacher of ceramics both at her studio and in a high school environment.
"I seek to create works that resonate quietly. Works that suggest something familiar connecting human experience with the enduring rhythms of nature.
I use stoneware clays that are sometimes recycled and mixed together to create unique textured surfaces. Mostly handbuilt and intuitively shaped, each sculpture reflects the interplay between structure and spontaneity, form and space. The surface of the clay can at times retain the tactile traces of processes such as pinching, folding and pressing, inviting viewers to engage both visually and physically. Clays responsiveness allows me to capture moments of movement as though the piece emerged from the earth. Inspired by the works of Henry Moore, I am drawn to the tension between interior and exterior spaces and how a form can feel both grounded and fluid. I am also a maker of stoneware tableware and vases designed to enhance interiors and be used every day."
Online Resources:
Website: https://www.theresemcmahonceramics.com/
Instagram: @mcmahontherese