Mangrove Sentinel
Chrystie Longworth
Mangrove Sentinel (detail) 2026
Found sea tumbled bricks, terracotta, crawling glaze, steel
Crawling glaze
Multiple pieces: 25 x 25 x 30 cm overall
About the Artwork
Mangrove Sentinel comprises hand-thrown and altered terracotta forms alongside sea-tumbled brick fragments I have collected from my local beach on Dharawal Country. Weathered by tide and time, the found bricks evoke the remnants of human habitation, recalling clay’s enduring role in shelter, infrastructure, and community. By bringing together crafted ceramic forms and reclaimed ceramic material, the work blurs the boundary between construction and erosion.
Through this sculpture, I reflect on the steady expansion of suburban development into fragile coastal ecosystems, where the built environment increasingly intersects with natural systems. Positioned as both monument and warning, Mangrove Sentinel encourages us to consider humanity’s place within landscapes shaped by forces far greater than ourselves. Rather than presenting nature as passive, the work acknowledges its continual capacity to erode, transform, and reclaim, reminding us that our interventions are ultimately temporary within longer ecological and geological cycles.
About the Artist
Chrystie Longworth is an artist based on Dharawal Country, NSW. Originally trained in Printmaking, Chrystie completed a Master of Fine Art (Ceramics) at the National Art School, Sydney, in 2024. Her ceramics have been exhibited in various Australian galleries, such as Sabbia Gallery, Sydney; MARS Gallery, Melbourne; Sturt Gallery, Mittagong, NSW; and Michael Reid Gallery, Sydney. Her functional pieces have been sold through the design stores of the Australian Design Centre, the National Gallery of Australia, Canberra; and Greenhouse Interiors, Geelong.
In April 2026, Chrystie had a solo show titled Suburban Squall at Sabbia Gallery and in September 2026, her solo exhibition Sediment Stories will open at Boom Gallery in Geelong. Chrystie has recently been a finalist in the Shelly Simpson Ceramics Prize (2025) and the Northern Beaches Environmental Art Prize (2025 & 2026). She is the recipient of the N.E. Pethebridge Ceramic Award (2024) and also received an Honourable Mention in Hornsby Council’s Reimagine Art Prize (2025).