MAIRI WARD

“I work in a variety of media including painting, ceramics and textiles to create a holistic practice that does not differentiate between art, craft or design.”

Mairi grew up in the Tasmanian bush and was primarily home educated. It was very much an alternate lifestyle where artistic abilities were nurtured in an environment of creativity.

In 1996 Mairi spent two years in South East Asia, Nepal, Tibet, England and North Africa with her family. She returned to live, work and travel in England, Ireland, Scotland and Spain from1999 to 2000. On her return to Australia she studied Art, Craft and Design at TAFE Tasmania.

However, it wasn’t until 2005 that Mairi really took stock of her life and made a commitment to herself to pursue what she enjoys most. So she enrolled in a Bachelor of Contemporary Art at the University of Tasmania and since graduating has been successfully working full time as an artist, designer and maker.

Painting is the core of her practice. Nonetheless in early 2009, Mairi began to move into design as a result of a project that formed part of her Masters of Fine Arts research. The project, called ‘Object to Object’, was an exploration of the relationships between art and design and between art and life. She created digital surface designs using imagery taken directly from her paintings.

Today, the designs from her paintings are printed onto a range of surfaces including fabric, paper and ceramic decals. Mairi also makes slip cast Cool Ice porcelain ceramic objects with decals.

Mairi exhibits regularly with commercial and non-commercial galleries and has received several commissions. She was a finalist in the 2011 Tasmania Design Awards for her Salt & Pepper Dish. She was also a finalist in both the 2010 and 2011 Glover painting prize. She is represented in Tasmania by Handmark Gallery.

“Material connection is central to my practice and my primary interested is in the process of making. For my design objects I take art that you would normally look at and make it into art that you ‘use’. I see my objects as both art and design, that is, DesignArt.

I’m often asked if I am an artist or a designer? Primarily, I see myself as a person who makes things, a maker. If I had to pick one I probably see myself as an artist that designs objects from my paintings. However the objects I make also influence my painting practices. I am interested in collaborating and working with other designers and manufacturers who may wish to use my surface designs on their objects, fabrics, wallpapers and other materials.”

Products

The ceramic objects are slip cast Cool Ice porcelain, with glazed interiors and hand polished exteriors with decals. After the slip is first cast, each piece is extensively hand finished by shaping while wet followed by sanding before and after firing and during the application of decals. Every object is unique. The coloured spoons for the condiment dishes and sugar pots are hand formed using recycled slip.

The ceiling pendant light shade is made from fabric that is digitally printed using environmentally friendly inks and print processes. The fabric is made from 100% natural fiber.