Les Blakebrough Resume
Les Blakebrough, one of Australia’s leading ceramic artists, is represented in many galleries in Australia and overseas including all Australian State galleries, the Australian National Gallery and the Royal Palace Collection Copenhagen Denmark He has held dozens of solo exhibitions throughout Australia and is the recipient of numerous awards including a gold medal at the International Exhibition of Ceramic Art, Faenza, Italy.
British-born Blakebrough migrated to Australia in 1948 at the age of 18 and,after serving an apprenticeship at Sturt Pottery at Mittagong, studied with a number of potters in Japan before returning to Australia to become Director of the Sturt Workshops. Since 1996, he has been Principal Research Fellow of the Ceramic Research Unit at the University of Tasmania, which has formed a company to manufacture and market his products.
Professional Activities
2008
Tasmania Senior Australian of the Year
2005
Member International Academy of Ceramics
1996
Principal Research Fellow, Ceramic Research Unit, University of Tasmania
1996
Associate Professor and Head, Ceramic Studio, Tasmanian School of Art in Hobart, University of Tasmania
Solo Exhibitions
2009
New Porcelain BMGART, Adelaide, South Australia
2008
Living Treasures” tour Tweed Region Gallery/ Port Macquarie Gallery/ Queen Victoria Museum & Art Gallery Launceston / Noosa Region Art Gallery Q
2007
The New Porcelain Primavera Cambridge UK
2006
‘Living Treasures” tour / Bathurst / Form-WA / Hawkesbury / Craft ACT/ TMAG
The New Porcelain Beaver Gallery ACT
The New Porcelain Bett Gallery Hobart
“Flora Tasmanica” Botanic Gardens Gallery ACT
2005
Object Gallery Sydney Survey Exhibition ‘Living Treasures”
Sabbia Gallery Sydney
“Flora Tasmanica” Botanic Gardens Gallery Sydney
2002
2002 Dick Bett Gallery, Hobart;
Ceramic Art Gallery, Paddington, New South Wales
Group Exhibitions
2007
Smart Works Design & the Handmade PowerHouse Museum Sydney
2006
Artbank Celebrating 25 Years of Australian Art State & Regional Galleries
Surface Connections Manningham Gallery Victoria
International Ceramic Award Gold Coast City Art Gallery
2004/5
Surface:Beneath & Beyond A Tasmanian Touring Exhibition
2002
Material Culture, National Gallery of Australia, Canberra;
Ritual of Tea, Jam Factory, South Australia & regional gallery tour
2001
Response to the Island, Ten Days on the Island Festival, Long Gallery, Hobart
1999
Contemporary Australian Craft to Japan – Hokkaido, Takaoka & Shiga, & Customs House, Sydney
Public Collections
All Australian State and Territory galleries + Australian National Gallery, Canberra
Imperial Palace Collection, Tokyo, Japan
National Museum of Applied Art, Oslo, Norway
Royal Palace Collection, Copenhagen, Denmark
Consultancy and Commissions
2005
Flora Tasmanica Limited Edition Porcelain to HRH Princess Mary of Denmark
2002
Vice-Chancellor’s Southern Ice porcelain dinner set, University of Tasmania
1990
University of Tasmania Centenary Fountain
Awards
1998-1999
Australia Council Creative Arts Fellowship
1996-1997
Australia Council Research Fellowship
1992
Churchill Research Fellowship
1974
Gold medal, International Exhibition of Ceramic Art, Faenza, Italy
Research Grants
1998-2000
Australian Research Council (ARC) Grant, Industrial processes for craft-based industry
1998-1999
ARC Grant, Porcelain clay development
1992
Churchill Research Fellowship
1995
ARC Grant, Industrial processes for craft-based industry;
ARC Grant, Porcelain clay development
Bibliography
2005
Les Blakebrough/Ceramics-Living Treasures Masters of Australian Craft Holmes J Thames & Hudson
1997
‘Flexible format kiln research’, Ceramics Technical, vol. 3, no. 3, pp.
1996
‘Porcelain clay research’, Ceramics Technical, vol. 1, no. 1, pp. 3-15
1994
‘Research in industry’, Ceramics Art and Perception, vol. 18, pp. 3-7
1989
Les Blakebrough: Potter, Holmes, J., Bay Books, Sydney
