POWERHOUSE COLLECTION

'Octopus' bowl by Benjamin Edols and Kathy Elliott

Object No. 97/320/2

Bowl, 'Octopus', soda-lime glass / citrine green interior, blown by Benjamin Edols, wheel-cut by Kathy Elliott, Australia, 1996

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Summary

Physical Description

Bowl, 'Octopus', soda-lime glass, citrine green interior, blown by Benjamin Edols, wheel-cut by Kathy Elliott, made in Sydney, NSW 1997 Bowl, shallow oval bowl, blown in clear soda-lime glass with citrine green (Zimmerman colour) sandwiched between, the under surface wheel-cut in broad curving designs, the upper surface cut as a smooth surface and stone polished. Signed around top edge: 'KATHY ELLIOTT. BENJAMIN EDOLS.1996'.

DIMENSIONS

Height

65 mm

Width

440 mm

PRODUCTION

Notes

Benjamin Edols (b. 1967) and Kathy Elliott (b. 1964) have been working together since 1992. Elliott graduated from Canberra School of Art in 1991, and Edols from Sydney College in 1991, with a postgraduate diploma from Canberra in 1992. Edols focused on glassblowing and Elliott on glass casting. Since graduation they have studied and worked regularly in the United States. While working in Corning, USA in 1992, they were using an access workshop that had blowing and engraving facilities. They had to make money somehow while they were there. They saw the Venini collection at the Corning Glass Museum which included blown/cut works, and started to make their own collaborative works that were at that time heavily informed by the Venini examples. Thus the collaborative work was the result of being in a particular place at a particular time. Since then Kathy has done no casting, because the cost is prohibitive, and because she became fascinated with the carving process on the blown works. Ben always blows the glass, usually thicker than for uncarved pieces. Sometimes Kathy draws a profile of a form she wants to work on. They use a soda-lime glass, with colours from eg. Kugler or Zimmerman in Germany, or 'Gaffer' glass from Giovanni glass in Auckland New Zealand. The carving is done on a glass cutting lathe. The first cut is with a rough diamond wheel and Ben often does this first cut. The second cut is with a finer diamond wheel and the final finish is with a stone. Ben's designs are more even in their spacing. Kathy prefers more of an uneven calligraphic line that might, for example, emphasise a belly or a neck (for example the grey bottle in this exhibition, NFS). Their work has moved on from the initial Venini-influenced work. The first cutting was in horizontal striations, which are easier to do, but they also liked the way even this simple decoration made works 'come alive'. They continue to make works using this decoration, and Ben also blows some works that are not carved. Regarding more recent collaborative work: 'We are looking for more personal challenges. We are trying to get a synthesis between the pattern and the silhouette of the vessels, where there is a sympathy between form and surface. We want works that are elegant and beautiful - the bottom line is that they must be beautiful. We are also working with light and volume.' (Kathy Elliott Nov. 1997) Both agree that working together in this way provokes each to challenges they separately would not have considered 'it pushes us out of our safety zone.' This bowl was blown by Ben (in Robert Wynne's Denizen Glass studio at North Manly), and Kathy carried out the final cut and polish. It was made using a 'citrine' green coloured glass from Zimmerman's in Germany. Whoever has worked most on the decoration signs first. In this case the bowl is signed around the edge: Kathy Elliott.Benjamin Edols.Sydney.1997 See Designed.

HISTORY

Notes

Exhibited at Glass Artists Gallery, 70 Glebe Point Road, Sydney, in 'Skin' exhibition, Oct28-Nov 26 1997. Featured on invitation.

SOURCE

Credit Line

Purchased 1997

Acquisition Date

4 December 1997

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