Nature’s Goddesses
Rainford Family Award – $500 Acquisitive
Liz Ranger-Craven
Nature’s Goddesses 2022
Stoneware, transparent glaze over
underglaze painting, lustres
27.5 x 26 x 25 cm
About the Artwork
Depicting three deities; forces of nature and interwoven with their environments. Both a part of and distinct from their surroundings. Our natural environment is made up of many facets, complex and breathtaking.
This vessel emphasises the importance of humankind taking responsibility for our natural environment, treasuring it. These works are inspired by Klimt’s paintings, his decorative surfaces and use of colour.
About the Artist
Liz Ranger-Craven immigrated to Australia from South Africa in 2011, and currently resides in Mackay. She studied art, majoring in Printmaking and Sculpture (1986). This was where her love for ceramics began.
Liz has participated in various exhibitions over the years receiving numerous awards and public artwork commissions. Clay has enabled her to explore her creativity. Her pieces primarily consist of bold shapes covered in intricate surface design and texture; the form and surface decoration relay a story in unison.
Her work is an ode to materials, she feels by creating these pieces she aligns herself with a way of life as ancient as humankind, using what our planet provides. This translates into the importance and value of protecting our natural environment. Her unique hand-built pieces reflect her printmaking and sculpture background, portraying her roots and passions.
Judge’s Comments
Dianne Peach was drawn to the worked-over surface of Liz Ranger-Cravens work ‘Nature’s Goddesses’. The piece appears to be scored, under glazed, and worked over a myriad of times. The chosen coil build adds to the complexity of the work, and the undulations reinforce the overall presentation. This high-fired work displayed good integrity and the work had a nice sound to it. The laying of decoration also illustrated a story while remaining visually attractive.