Joint Exhibition (Ikigai – Happiness is in the Making Gallery Asna, 2-31 Aug

Gallery Asna is pleased to invite you to Jim Turner and Etain Hickey's Joint Exhibition 

(Ikigai – Happiness is in the Making Gallery Asna) – Clonakilty Community Art Centre, Friday 2-31 August 2024

Ikigai - Happiness is in the making not the result, a two person show by Ceramic Artists Jim Turner and Etain Hickey.

  It is about becoming completely absorbed in your art; taking pleasure in work, to lose sense of time. When we flow, we are focused on a concrete task without any distractions, our minds are “in order”.  Ikigai is a purpose that guides you throughout your life and pushes you to make things of beauty and utility for the community and yourself.

(ref: Ikigai The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life by Hector Garcia and Francesc Miralles)

Jim and Etain’s ceramics appear to be very different, he with his sculptural dry volcanic glaze paper clay vessels and Etain with her colourful highly decorated surfaces embellished with 24karet gold lustre, but both have taken their inspiration for this exhibition from the Japanese concept of Ikigai, to create this new body of work. Both are showing ceramics and paintings. Happiness and purpose is Ikigai.

Nature is so important to our wellbeing, it sustains, nourishes and refreshes us. The enthralling beauty of our surrounding environment inspire us

Etain brings her love of clay and watercolour paintings together in a new body of colourful life affirming work. Her nature inspired bowls and wall dishes are a celebration of life and sit well with her paintings capturing the beauty of nature with vibrant colours and fluid strokes.   The imagery of garden birds, the raucous rooks, crows and jackdaws, bees, hares, frogs, fish and flora comes from the natural environment which Etain so obviously delights in, can be seen in all her work

Jim’s ceramics are ever evolving with many diverse influences from encounters with the West Cork land and seascape, anonymous Minoan pottery, architecture and a myriad of experiences that register in the unconscious mind.

 For this exhibition Jim is showing a new collection of ikebana vases, gilded tea bowls and paper clay vessels along with archival pieces that include dry glazed volcanic pods and ‘quantum elixir’ bottles. Jim’s flotilla of sailing vessels and his sea paintings are inspired by his sailing experiences in the past.

Jim Turner graduated with a degree in Ceramics and Sculpture at Camberwell College of Art and has lived and worked in West Cork for over 40 years with his partner Etain Hickey at Rossmore Pottery. He has been involved with clay for all of seventy years having been born into a pottery family. Since Etain closed her shop & gallery, Etain Hickey Collections in Ashe street she had been able to spend all her time in her studio making ceramics and painting watercolours.

Exhibition to be Opened on Friday 2nd August 2024 at 5:30pm by Frances McDonald Art Consultant & Support Services. Contributor to Irish Arts Review