A Fragile Resilience
Karen Charlebois
A Fragile Resilience (detail) 2026
Stoneware and porcelain
Oxides, coloured slips, clear glaze
65 x 28 x 28 cm
About the Artwork
This ceramic piece is a personal response to living in Cape York, shaped by my time in the Aurukun region and the deep impressions left by its landscape. The work reflects the tension I felt daily between the harshness of the environment and its delicate, almost fragile, beauty. The work’s surface carries a series of markings drawn directly from sketches I made while living there—observations of Country, weathered textures, and the quiet rhythms of place. These marks are not decorative; they are traces of lived experience, a record of walking, watching, and learning from the land.
Through form and surface, the piece holds both the resilience and vulnerability of the environment, acknowledging the strength of Country while honouring its subtle, intricate details. It stands as a gesture of respect and connection to the powerful, complex landscape that shaped its making.
About the Artist
Ceramic artist Karen Charlebois has worked with clay for many years, developing a practice grounded in material exploration, teaching, and community connection. She studied at East Sydney Technical College before graduating from the National Art School in 1994. Karen later co-founded Barefoot Pottery in Sydney, operating the studio until 2000.
After relocating to the Bega Valley, Karen taught ceramics at Illawarra TAFE (Bega Campus) for 12 years while continuing to develop her own studio practice. During this time, she expanded her technical knowledge and artistic approach, later completing a Master of Visual Arts at the ANU School of Art & Design in 2011, a period that expanded both her technical skills and the conceptual depth of her work.
Following her move to Queensland, Karen’s practice shifted again as she began living and teaching in remote communities across Cape York and the Northern Territory. Working closely with women’s groups and community art centres, she focused on sharing her skills, supporting cultural expression, and developing programs that honour local knowledge and Country. These experiences continue to influence the forms, surfaces, and stories embedded within her work today.