Annie Palmer-Bunbury
Initially I studied architecture, and later had a post-graduate interest in fostering creativity. I’ve always held a fascination with the many languages of artistic expression, and over the years have touched on writing, music, fibre arts, portraiture, painting, and clay sculpture in my search for personal statement.
It’s taken years of self searching, but once I finally met my wonderful potter-husband, the life we created together in our valley haven has helped me find voice.
Artist Statement
I make anything that occurs to me.
My day involves following what legendary Australian artist and poet Michael Leunig calls ‘life’s precious golden thread’
That translates in my case to a day of ‘small things’, ‘playing’ with whatever draws my eye, with no rules, and many mediums.
I’m inspired by this New Zealand setting. Australian raised, I’m keenly appreciative of the quality of beauty and materials here, all the while deeply informed by past environments, past agenda.
After a decade of quiet practice in a soft secure situation, I find I’ve shed an earlier compulsive, prescriptive and end-pointed pursuit of ‘expression’. In its place I’ve discovered the inner ‘holy fool’ (another Leunig insight), where play, surrender and unconcern for end-product carries the day, and outcome takes a second place to experience or discovery through process.
I see this time as granting permission not to place labels on myself or my work, but to quit evaluative or comparative language in favour of innocent appreciation, wonder in the moment.
Whatever piece or work emerges from this practice I allow to stand alone, to speak for itself, be it a small ceramic piece, a large banquet platter, a weaving, a sculpture, plaque, collage or a painting. Each equally owe its origin to a life of enquiry, and the peeling away of layers that took years to declare themselves as weights to creative engagement.
I see each of them as whittled votives, wordlessly blessing my hands as the work emerges, and then blessing their new owners.
That’s richly rewarding!
