Jan Dunn (ceramicist) facts for kids

Jan Dunn (born May 23, 1940 – died May 15, 2002) was an Australian artist. She was a talented potter, meaning she made things from clay, and also a teacher. She was born in Springvale, Victoria, Australia.

Jan Dunn's Art Journey

Learning About Art

Jan Dunn studied art at the Canberra School of Art, finishing in 1979. She earned a special degree in ceramics, which is the art of making things from clay. In 1978 and 1987, she traveled to Egypt and the Middle East. There, she learned about a special type of pottery called lustreware, which has a shiny, metallic surface. From 1985 to 1988, she lived in Tokyo, Japan. She spent this time learning about traditional Japanese pottery and how to paint on clay with brushes.

Her Career as a Potter

Jan Dunn worked from her own art studio at home in Canberra, Australia. She taught pottery at the Australian National University Arts Centre and Workshop. She also taught in schools, colleges, and her own studio. Her beautiful pottery pieces are kept in important places like the Canberra Museum and Gallery, Central Craft in Alice Springs, and the National Gallery of Australia. The National Gallery also keeps her art diaries and notes in its archives.

Jan loved to learn from other artists. She connected with many Australian potters like Marea Gazzard and Janet deBoos. She also learned from international artists who visited Australia. Jan helped develop Australian ceramics by working on different art committees.

Her Unique Pottery Style

In the 1980s, Jan Dunn made shiny lustreware vases, pots, and platters. She often decorated them with traditional designs. She even built two special ovens called kilns in her home studio in Canberra. Some parts for her kilns came from her time in Japan.

Jan drew hundreds of sketches in her notebooks. She drew flowers, seed pods, jugs, and symbols from different countries. These drawings helped her plan her pottery designs. One art expert said her pots looked like old Islamic objects and art from Medieval Europe. They also showed the influence of her time in Japan, where artists value things that are not perfectly smooth.

In the 1990s, Jan changed her style. She started using a dry glaze and made pots shaped in unusual ways. She decorated these with animals and plants. In 1991, her ceramic piece called Persian poppies was shown in an exhibition and later bought by Central Craft. As her health changed, she also began studying life drawing. Her last solo exhibition, Metamorphica, was in 2000. Here, she showed her fantasy creatures made with dry glaze. In 2012, the Canberra Museum and Gallery bought three of her vases from the early 1980s. These vases have a special cobalt glaze under an Arabian lustre glaze. They are decorated with Jan's own versions of traditional designs.

Her Artistic Legacy

Jan Dunn's important papers, sketchbooks, and four of her vases were accepted into the National Gallery of Australia's archives and collection in 2003. This means her work and ideas will be preserved for future generations to study and enjoy.

Exhibitions and Awards

Jan Dunn's artwork was shown in many exhibitions. She also received grants and awards for her talent. Some of her early exhibitions included her Graduation exhibition in 1979 and Emerging Craftsmen in 1980, where she also received a grant. She won First Prize at the Canberra Potters Society Annual Exhibition in 1981.

Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Jan's work was displayed in galleries across Australia, including Sydney, Melbourne, Darwin, and Alice Springs. She also had exhibitions in Tokyo, Japan, in 1987-88. Her work was featured in shows like Triple Treat ceramics in 1990 and the Alice Springs Craft Acquisition in 1991. She received a Professional Development Grant in 1991. Jan continued to exhibit her unique pieces until 2002, with shows like Metamorphica in 2000 and Trademarks in 2002.