I live in Sydney, Australia, close to many beautiful beaches – my favourite place to be. It is in these landscapes that I gather my inspiration by taking photos or by collecting small specimens like shells and worn sticks.

I have been an artist all my life working with clay, paint, collage, photography, textiles and more.

My favourite process is to pinch small pots using one small ball of clay. With this ball in my hands, I move in a spiral direction from the middle to the edges, from the bottom to the top, a meditative practice often done with my eyes closed to feel the thickness of the walls as they form. I explore the feel of clay, its strength and its fragility. I also enjoy impressing the walls with intricate textures using sticks, coral, shells, echidna spikes and various tools I collect.

My forms are made to nestle in the hand. I seek beauty in the handmade details – finger prints, delicate edges and decoration which unravel as the pot is held.

I make bowls, brooches and sculptural forms.
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I started off teaching visual arts, for the first fifteen years to secondary students then to teachers with whom I could share her passion for integrating visual arts through the whole curriculum. Over the next few years as I developed my own arts practice, I enjoyed 14 years as a member of a co-operative ceramics gallery in Sydney, and continued to teach a broad range of visual arts to adults throughout Australia.

In 2005, I took on the dual position with The Australian Ceramics Association, as Executive Officer and also Editor of The Journal of Australian Ceramics (a tri-annual print and digital publication). This challenging job involved working with a diverse, dynamic membership of over 1600 studio potters, print and web publishing, along with event and exhibition management. After 17 years at the helm, I left these 2 positions in February 2023.

CURRENT
Studio Artist: 1988 – current
Foundation (Governor), Art Gallery of NSW, Vicki Grima Ceramics Fund, 2019 – current

AWARDS
Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM), 11 June 2018
Australian Design Honours, Australian Design Centre, 9 October 2017

IMMEDIATE PAST
Executive Officer, The Australian Ceramics Association, 2006 – 10 February 2023
Editor, The Journal of Australian Ceramics, 2006 – 2022 (Vol 61 No 3, November 2022)
Director, Australian Ceramics Triennale: 2016 – 7 February 2023
Chair, The Australian Ceramics Triennale Tasmania 2019: October 2018 – August 2019 

In my position as Executive Officer of The Australian Ceramics Association (TACA) and Editor of The Journal of Australian Ceramics (JAC) I was in daily contact with the ceramics community nationally and internationally. My focus was to represent the diversity of ceramics practice in Australia through the Journal and offer support to the sector via TACA’s membership services. In this rapidly changing digital world the challenge is to maintain relevance to the new ways of working, whilst also honouring the rich history of ceramics practice in Australia; www.australianceramics.com.

OTHER
2023  Judge, Siliceous Award for Ceramic Excellence, Ceramic Arts QLD
2023  Curator, Pour, August, Michael Reid Northern Beaches, Newport NSW
2023  Industry Reviewer VACS Funding, Australia Council for the Arts
2023, 2022, 2021  Judge: National Emerging Art Prize 
2022  Judge: Gosford Art Prize 
2014  Curator, Back to the Table, September 2014, Sturt Gallery, NSW
2013  Event Director/Manager, Clay Push Gulgong 2013
2011  Curator: Time & Place: Australian Studio Ceramics, 2010/2011, Cudgegong Gallery NSW

MEDIA
White-hot ceramics on cusp of Australian renaissance by Liz Hobday, AAP; 10 May 2023
Wild clay found in Queensland town of Mount Morgan used to make pottery  by Jasmine Hines, ABC Capricornia;  26 Jan 2023

MEMBERSHIP
2003 – current: The Potters’ Society of Australia / The Australian Ceramics Association
1989 – 2002 Inner City Clayworkers Gallery Co-operative Ltd, Glebe
1979 – 1990 The Batik Association of Australia/ Australian Batik & Surface Design Association

PUBLICATIONS & BOOKS
2020  “Ceramics: Creative Adventures in Clay” by Janine Vangool with co-authors Carole Epp and Julia Krueger; featured artist, 10 pages
2018  “Encyclopedia of Pottery Techniques: A Unique Visual Directory of Pottery” by Peter Cosentino; published by Search Press, August 2018; images and text.
2017  “Ceramics Ireland”, profile article
2014  “Pinch Pottery: Functional, Modern Handbuilding” by Susan Halls; published by Lark Crafts, January 2014; images and text.
2006 – 2022  Editor, The Journal of Australian Ceramics
2005  The Journal of Australian Ceramics, 44/2, July 2005; “Domestic Scale”
1998  Pottery in Australia, 37/1, Autumn 1998; Review: “Shimmer” Pottery in Australia, 37/4, Dec 1998; Profile: “A Sense of Hand”

PODCASTS & VIDEOS
2022  Australian Ceramics Panel Discussion; Host: Vicki Grima: “The Vessel”; The Ceramics Congress Australia, 26-29 May 2022. Watch it HERE.
2017  Tales of a Red Clay Rambler: Ep.181: Vicki Grima and Stephen Creech on increasing ceramic outreach through national open studio events; listen HERE.
2014  Tales of a Red Clay Rambler: Ep.77: Vicki Grima on what makes a successful magazine in the digital age; listen HERE.

PRESENTATIONS
2016  ICMEA (International Ceramic Magazine Editors Association) conference, Beijing, China
2016  India – Delhi Blue Pottery Trust, Ceramic Tales Lectures Series; Publishing, Pots & Passion
2013  ICMEA (International Ceramic Magazine Editors Association) conference, Fuping, China
2013  When Push Comes to Shove – writing/editing/getting published: Coll Minogue, Elaine O.Henry, Jan Howlin and Vicki Grima
2007 + 2010 ICMEA (International Ceramic Magazine Editors Conference), Fuping, China; Ceramics in Australia – a pictorial survey
2007 ClayEdge, Gulgong; Promoting your Work: panel

TUTOR
2017  Canberra Potters Society; Mind Your Business
2016  Sturt Winter School (pinch pots); Australian Ceramics Open Studios pinch pots, South Golden Beach
2015  “Profiling, publishing and portfolios – a practical look at promoting yourself as an artist”; Brisbane Modern Art Gallery
2013  “Pinch Pots and Beyond” weekend workshop, Central Coast Potters, NSW, & Gold Coast Potters, QLD
2005 – 2011  Tutor with Teacher Training Australia
2003 – 2005  Tutor, Eastern Suburbs Community College – Mosaic and Art for Beginners
2003 – 2006  Sturt Summer School and Sturt Weekend Workshops
2002 – 2003  Marketing and Administrative Assistant – Digital Art Directory, Annandale
2001 – 2002  Art Gallery Assistant – Retail at “Discover Art Australia” Sydney International Airport
1996 – 2005  Secondary Art Teacher, Sydney, casual
1988 – 2006  Continued teaching by giving workshops/ lectures/ discussions on a contract basis to adults in various locations – TAFE, Ceramic Study Group, NSW Pottery Supplies, Port Hacking Potters, relating to a wide variety of Art Making – ceramics, mosaics, jewellery etc
1992, 1996, 1997:  Tutor at Textile Fibre Forum, an annual textile conference featuring tutors from Australia and overseas – “Batik and Beyond”,  “Bijouterie and Beyond”.
1993  Broken Hill TAFE, Ceramic Jewellery, 2-day workshop
1989  Creative Dyeing – University of NSW Summer School
1988  Batik Workshop – Fregon Aboriginal Mission
1984  W.E.A. “Handbuilding Ceramic Forms”

GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2023  Fire & Ice: MakingTime Gallery, 23 Burnie St, Clovelly NSW 2031
2022  Fire & Ash: Woodfire 2022: Kerrie Lowe Gallery, 49-51 King St Newtown NSW 2042
2021  Three Trains: 7 Clovelly Rd, Randwick, NSW 
2020  Séance: Stanley Street Gallery, 1/52-54 Stanley St, Darlinghurst, NSW 
2018  Lifeblood, Grace Cossington Smith Gallery, 1666 Pacific Hwy, Wahroonga NSW
2017  Fire Tales, Made Local, 22 Llewellyn St, Marrickville NSW 2204
2017  3 Cubed, Gallery of Small Things, 27 Wade St, Watson ACT 2602
2017  HeadON Festival, Kerrie Lowe Gallery, 49-51 King St Newtown NSW 2042
2017  Omnus Terra, NCECA 2017, Gallery 114, 1100 NW Glisan, Portland, OR. 97209 USA
2017  The White Room, Stanley Street Gallery, Darlinghurst NSW
2016  The Cup Collaboration, Box Hill Community Arts Centre, Melbourne VIC
2016  Square One @ ARO
2015  The Cup Collaboration, Box Hill Community Arts Centre, Melbourne VIC
2015  Object: Spoon; Beaver Galleries, Canberra ACT
2014  Give Me A Spoon, Atta Gallery, THAILAND
2011  Offerings, Kerrie Lowe Gallery, NSW
2010  Melting Pot, Manningham Gallery, Victoria
2009  Pourers, Collectors Cabinet, Object Gallery, Surry Hills, Sydney; makers from across Australia.
          Please Handle the Pots, Legge Gallery
2008  Les Tupiniers du Vieux Lyon – Potters market at Lyon + St Uze with French potters, France
2006  Clay Statements, digital, Verge Ceramic Conference Brisbane, curator Patsy Hely
2006  Harvest, The Palm House, Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney
2003 – 2005  The Sydney Teapot Show, Inner City Clayworkers Co-operative Gallery, Glebe, Sydney
2004  Bowl’d and Beautiful, Ceramic Art Gallery, Paddington
          To Be or Not To Be Jewelled, Fusions Gallery, Brisbane
          The Sydney Teapot Show, Glebe
          Tea, Coffee or Chocolate, Teapots 2004, Perth
          Lynn + Vicki + Sophie – studio exhibition at Alexandria
          The Christmas Show, Mura Gallery, Newtown, Sydney
2003 + 2005  Artisans in the Gardens, Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney
1989 – 2002  At least 3 group exhibitions per year, including The Vase Show
1989 – 2002  The Sydney Teapot Show

SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2005  Tea Stories, Mura Clay Gallery

SOLO / FEATURE EXHIBITIONS
Inner City Clayworkers Gallery Co-operative Gallery, Glebe NSW 2037
2002  one small red chilli – solo – ceramics, mosaics, painting
2001  Just in Time for Spring
2000  Looking Out, Looking In
1998  Practical and Precious
1997  Shimmer
1992  A Sliced View
1991  Spiral Panorama

VISUAL ARTS TEACHER (SECONDARY): 1978 – 2002

QUALIFICATIONS
1974–77: Diploma in Art (Education), Alexander Mackie C.A.E, 4 years full-time majoring in sculpture, with minor study in textiles and jewellery.