Pippin Drysdale: Infinite Terrain Retrospective
A major retrospective exhibition titled 'Infinite Terrain', featuring the work of Western Australian ceramic artist Pippin Drysdale, opened in December at the Art Gallery of Western Australia (AGWA). The exhibition, which chronicles Drysdale's four-decade career, followed an initial encounter between Drysdale and AGWA director Colin Walker several years prior.
Curator Isobel Wise led the development of the exhibition, gathering works spanning Drysdale's 40-year career to illustrate her artistic evolution. Drysdale acknowledged the extensive effort involved in assembling the collection.
Early Career and Education
Born in Melbourne in 1943, Drysdale grew up in Perth and developed an early interest in art. Prior to ceramics, she operated businesses involving herbs and paper flowers. In 1981, she pursued pottery, completing a three-year diploma at Perth Tech. Subsequently, Drysdale traveled to the United States to study at Anderson Ranch, an arts center in Colorado, financing her studies by selling works created at the Fremantle Arts Centre. Upon returning to Australia, she completed a Fine Arts degree at Curtin University. Drysdale continues to live and work in the Fremantle cottage purchased by her father.
Travel and Artistic Inspiration
Following her formal education, Drysdale undertook extensive international travel that influenced her artistic direction. In the early 1990s, she spent months at the Grazia Maioliche di Deruta factory in Italy and completed a university residency in Tomsk, Siberia, shortly after the city's opening to international visitors. Her experiences in Europe informed her 'OTT' (Over The Top) series, characterized by blacks, whites, and silver/gold lustres. In the late 1990s, Drysdale's style shifted again after visits to remote regions of Western Australia and the Northern Territory, including the Bungle Bungles. These travels resulted in multiple series of work reflecting the landscapes encountered. Drysdale does not rely on photographs or sketches during her trips, preferring to absorb visual and emotional impressions directly.
Collaboration with Warrick Palmateer
Since 1992, Drysdale has collaborated with potter Warrick Palmateer, who creates the porcelain vessels that serve as her artistic foundation. Palmateer influenced a significant shift in Drysdale's work in 2016 by suggesting the Karlu Karlu/The Devil's Marbles in the Northern Territory as an inspiration. This led to a transition from symmetrical, open vessels to more organic, closed forms reflecting natural rock formations. The development of these asymmetrical boulder forms required a year of experimentation to prevent cracking. These series are now displayed on wide plinths in AGWA's first-floor gallery.
International Recognition and Future Plans
Drysdale's work has achieved international recognition, with collectors including Peregrine Cavendish, 12th Duke of Devonshire. At 82, Drysdale continues her artistic practice in her Fremantle studio, preparing new works for future exhibitions. Her creative process for each piece involves extensive glazing, etching, and sanding. The 'Pippin Drysdale: Infinite Terrain' exhibition is scheduled to remain at the Art Gallery of Western Australia until April 6, 2026.