Alana Wilson
Photos: Trish Chong
Editorial: Jessie James
Alana Wilson lives in an art deco apartment on Manly’s Eastern Hill, overlooking a rambling, slightly overgrown backyard, view overtaken on one side by the fronds of a beautiful old palm tree. Within, objects and artworks are arranged with great care and spatial clarity – Alana’s ceramic works and experimental pieces are placed with reference books and magazines, a metalwork sun sits unassumingly in a corner and a ‘la plage’ candle sits atop a stack of novels by Alana’s bedside.
In the studio everything is similarly collected and orderly. Works in process adorn galvanised metal shelving, a plywood cabinet holds finished pieces and tubs of glazes, materials and tools are neatly arranged. The doors are open and Alana is carefully unloading new works and glaze tests from the kiln, holding each piece in turn under the sunlight.
Where are you from?
I currently live and work in Sydney, Australia.
Where have you lived previously?
I was born in Canberra, Australia, spent my childhood in Wellington, NZ, and returned to Australia as a teenager and have been in Sydney ever since.
Could you tell us a little about your background?
I naturally fell in to working in ceramics during my Fine Arts degree at National Art School. My childhood had a lot of creative experiences and time spent out in nature, which were formative to my working preferences now. As a tertiary student I started out doing a Design degree but felt unfulfilled and eventually switched to study Fine Arts. The BFA programme at NAS was extremely hands-on and experimental, a great way to first experience ceramics. I have been making ever since.
What are you currently working on?
In the studio I am working on pieces for the Ceramics Triennale in Tasmania, as well as a group show in Melbourne and small studio show in Paris in early 2019.
The other half of my time I spend teaching swimming which provides a great balance to being in the studio. I’m currently working on an Adult Water Safety and Survival Education programme to help beginner adults feel comfortable and safe around the water.
What are you most proud of?
Being able to do what I love everyday.
What do you see as your limitations?
More often than not it’s our own mindsets that limit us, whether it’s unwillingness to leave your comfort zone, risk of failure or our societal expectations. I feel this often, as I’m sure many of us do.
What is most important to you right now?
Time spent with loved ones.
How do you approach your ceramic work?
Ceramics is quite a slow medium. To make new works for a show or a project takes several months or more to develop from ideas to reality. Usually there will be a few ideas and projects at different stages and I’ll work on them simultaneously. Conceptual and visual languages tend to flow on from one project to another, there’s always a cyclical and reflective approach to creating new work.
Who are some of your influences?
Creatively – I admire the original pioneers of modern studio ceramics – Ewen Henderson, Lucie Rie, Peter Volkous etc. I am also a huge Cy Twombly fan, particularly of his sculptures and photographs and how prolific his practise was.
I also admire the work and practises of my father & grandfather, both greatly involved in sport and community; & my maternal grandfather, a teacher with great character and a strong connection to the people around him.
If you could meet one person you admire?
Perhaps Rick Rubin, a music producer whose perspective of work and practice I find influential.
If you could study anything, what would it be?
Anthropology and/or philosophy.
Your favourite neighbourhood?
I love returning to my childhood neighbourhood Seatoun, in Wellington. Plenty of nostalgia, which is ok in small doses!
What / who inspires you in your neighbourhood?
I live in Manly, so everyone that’s out enjoying the water, making it a priority in their day.
Where do you like to spend time locally?
The beach – Manly, Shelley or Freshwater.
Recommended reading
Belinda Black
I remember a burst water main in the back of Brooklyn on a stinking hot summer day and we literally stopped the car and ran through it along with half the neighbourhood kids.
Recommended reading
Bronwyn Birdsall
I loved that aspect of life in Sarajevo, a city of so many interweaving stories, where you’ll hear bits and pieces from different people about the same incident for years.