Les Blakebrough CV

Professional activities

Since coming to Tasmanian in 1973, Les Blakebrough has been awarded many grants to assist in the development of artist-in-residence projects, summer schools, guest lecture tours, apprenticeships and research development in the Ceramics Research Unit, University of Tasmania. These include three Australian Research Council large grants [two in collaboration with Penny Smith] during the 1990s.

2005 Member International Academy Ceramics.
2001 Formation of Southern Ice Pty Ltd which has developed a suite of editioned plates [1-100] depicting the endemic flora of Tasmania
1999 Southern Ice Porcelain created by Blakebrough, sold under licence by Clayworks Australia
1998 - 1999 Honorary Research Associate, Tasmanian School of Art, University of Tasmania
1997-98 Australia Council Creative Arts Fellowship
1996 Principal Research Fellow, Ceramic Research Unit, University of Tasmania
1989–1994 Associate Professor and Head, Ceramic Studio, Tasmanian School of Art in Hobart, University of Tasmania
1993 Industrial Research Projects: Royal Copenhagen Porcelain Factory, Denmark; Hackman-Arabia Factory, Helsinki, Finland; Royal Worcester Porcelain Factory, Worcester, UK
1992 Awarded a Churchill Fellowship to undertake a study tour of the ceramic industries in Scandinavia and the UK
1990 Established Ceramic Research Unit, University of Tasmania
1982 Official visitor to Fujian Province, Peoples Republic of China
1981 Senior Lecturer, Ceramics Department, Tasmanian School of Art, University of Tasmania
1976 Began working in glass Member, Australian delegation to International Design Conference Kyoto, Japan, European Co-ordinator, World Crafts Council Conference, Kyoto, Japan, Judge and Lecturer, Fletcher Brownbuilt Exhibition, Auckland, New Zealand
1974-77 Foundation member, Tasmanian Arts Advisory Board
1974 Established private workshop, Mt Nelson Won the Gold Medal at the International Exhibition of Ceramic Art Faenza, Italy
1973-77 Foundation member, Crafts Board, Australia Council
1973-81 Senior Lecturer and Head Ceramics Department, Tasmanian School of Art, Tasmanian College of Advanced Education
1970 Australian representative to World Craft Council Conference, Dublin, Ireland
1965 Foundation member, Craft Association of NSW, and Steering Committee member, Craft Council of Australia
1964-72 Director, Sturt Craft Centre Mittagong
1959-72 Manager, Sturt Pottery, Mittagong
1963-64 Studied in Kyoto, Japan with Takeichi Kawai
1957-59 Studied painting and ceramics at East Sydney Technical College
1955-57 Apprenticed to Ivan McMeekin, Sturt Pottery, Mittagong
1948 Arrived in Australia
1930 Born Kingston, Surrey, England

Bibliography

2005 Les Blakebrough Ceramics National Treasure Master of Australian Craft Thames & Hudson
1997 ‘Flexible format kiln research’, Ceramics Technical, vol. 3, no. 3, pp. 78-82
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
1993 ‘Les Blakebrough: Profile by Andrew Darby’, Craft Arts, vol. 28, pp. 50-54
1989 Les Blakebrough: Potter, Holmes, J., Bay Books, Sydney
1987 ‘Les Blakebrough: Pioneer potter’, Pottery in Australia, vol. 26, no. 3
1978 Nine Artist Potters, Littlemore, A. & Carlstrom, K., Melbourne
1973 Twelve Australian Craftsmen, Thompson, P., Angus & Robertson, Sydney

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Solo exhibitions

2006 Beaver Gallery Canberra. Bett Gallery Hobart
2005 Object Gallery ‘National Treasure” Exhibition Sydney
2005 Sabbia Gallery ‘New Porcelain” Sydney
2005 Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney ‘Flora Tasmanica” porcelain
2002 Dick Bett Gallery, Hobart; Ceramic Art Gallery, Paddington, New South Wales
2001 Beaver Gallery, Canberra
2000 BMG Fine Art / Adelaide Festival Exhibition, Adelaide; Sturt Gallery, Mittagong, New South Wales
1998 BMG Fine Art, Adelaide
1997 Savode Gallery, Brisbane; Ceramic Art Gallery, Paddington, New South Wales
1981 Glass, Les Blakebrough; Bowerbank Mill Gallery, Deloraine, Tasmania Glass: Les Blakebrough, Distelfink Gallery, Melbourne
1978 Ceramics by Les Blakebrough, Saddlers Court Gallery, Richmond, Tasmania Les Blakebrough: Glass, Craft Centre, Melbourne
1977 Les Blakebrough [Glass], Macquarie Galleries, Sydney. Les Blakebrough, Bowerbank Mill, Deloraine, Tasmania
1976 Les Blakebrough, Macquarie Galleries, Sydney. Les Blakebrough, Craft Centre, Melbourne
1975 Blakebrough 75, Jam Factory Gallery, Adelaide
Les Blake brough, Macquarie Galleries, Sydney
1973 Los Blakebrough, Craft Centre, Melbourne. Blake brough & Hansen, Saddlers Court Gallery, Richmond, Tasmania
1971 Blakebrough: Ceramics, Craft Centre, Melbourne. Ceramics: Les Blakebrough, Theatre Centre Gallery [Macquarie Galleries], Canberra
1969 Les Blakebrough Pottery, White Studio. Exhibition, The Common, Beaumont, NSW. Les Blakebrough, Hayloft Gallery, Bathurst. New Stoneware and Porcelain by Les Blakebrough and Col Levy, Craft Centre, Melbourne Stoneware, Porcelain, Slipware from the Sturt Pottery, Mittagong, The Potters' Gallery, Sydney
1968 Les Blakebrough, Lidums Gallery, Adelaide
1967 Les Blakebrough, Craft Centre, Melbourne. Pottery by Les Blakebrough, Macquarie ne Galleries, Sydney
1966 Les Blakebrough, Johnstone Gallery, Brisbane. Les Blakebrough, Von Bertouch Gallery, Newcastle
1965 Les Blakebrough & Col Levy, Von Bertouch Gallery, Newcastle Les Blakebrough, Macquarie Galleries, Canberra
1964 Les Blakebrough & John Chappell, Macquarie Galleries, Sydney

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Group exhibitions

2006 Australian National Gallery "The Crafted Object 1960's-1980's". Gold Coast Ceramic Award Exhibition. Art Bank "Celebrating 25 Years of Australian Art"
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
1998 Southern Light, Australia & Chicago, USA
1997 Four Visions of Antarctica, Newcastle City Gallery, New South Wales; Sidney Myer Ceramic Award and Exhibition, Shepparton, Victoria
1996 Triaxial Blend, Rochester Institute of Technology, New York, USA
1995 Delinquent Angles, Faenza, Italy, then Japan and Australian State galleries; Vessel as Subject, Indonesia

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Public collections

All Australian State and Territory galleries
Australian National Gallery, Canberra
Australian Embassy, Peking, China
Commonwealth Collection, London
Crafts Council of Australia, Sydney
Government House, Canberra
Imperial Palace Collection, Tokyo, Japan
International Museum of Ceramic Art, Faenza, Italy
National Bank of Austria, Vienna
National Museum of Applied Art, Oslo, Norway
Reserve Bank of Australia, Melbourne
Australian National University
Royal Palace Collection, Copenhagen, Denmark
Official Tasmanian Gift, HRH Queen Elizabeth II

Research grants

1998–2000 Australian Research Council (ARC) Grant, Industrial processes for craft-based industry
1998–1999 ARC Grant, Porcelain clay development
1995 ARC Grant, Industrial processes for craft-based industry; ARC Grant, Porcelain clay development
1994 Australia Council Grant for Hillka Hiltunen lecture tour to five capital cities
1993 Arts Tasmania Residency Grant for Elina Brandt-Hansen (visiting from Norway)
1992–1993 ARC Grant, Flexible kiln design
1991–1993 ARC Grant, Tasmanian porcelain clay

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