| |
|
|
| |
| Melanie Manser |
|
| |
|
I began working with clay almost 30 years ago when, as a fresh out of school teenager, I decided I wanted to be self employed. I loved to work with my hands and after attending pottery classes at the local TAFE centre, I resolved to be a potter and become rich and famous in the bargain. Of course, lack of finances, not to mention experience, eventually proved an obstacle. I got a ‘real’ job for a few years to build some capital and achieved a Diploma in Ceramics from the South Australian College of Advanced Education. By this time the craft industry, in particular pottery, was reaching an all time low. I was again forced to join the ‘real’ world of gainful employment. Marriage and children then distracted me for another 12 years. In 2003 I returned to learning and began a Bachelor of Visual Art at the University of South Australia, where I majored in Ceramics and minored in Glass. Since graduating in 2006 I have been involved in a number of joint exhibitions in and around Adelaide.
My inspiration comes from many areas; firstly, from the external environment. I am an observer. I really enjoy absorbing information visually, aurally and tactilely, through my own specific research or simply, from the world around me. I love listening to people and hearing their views and stories. I am fascinated by what others think and believe and why they feel the way they do. I love to explore other cultures and their histories, natural history, anthropology, archaeology. I love the stimulation of the natural environment and get great pleasure from observing the intricacies, complexities and simplicities of the world around me. I suppose in short, I love to experience with all my senses; to look, touch, taste, smell and listen.
This current work focuses on highlighting the insidious affect global warming is having on coral reefs around the world. Corals are actually translucent; they gain their brilliant colours (and a percentage of their nutrient intake) from a symbiotic relationship with algae known as zooxantheallae which is sensitive to temperature fluctuations. As the sea warms, photosynthesis is compromised in these micro algae causing their numbers to decline and resulting in bleaching of the host coral. If zooxantheallae numbers remain low, the coral eventually dies (Buchheim, 1998); because they are beneath the surface the destruction largely goes unnoticed.
|
|
|
|
