Stories from the Studio: Steve Harrison & Janine King at Loopline Pottery
STA were lucky to be invited to visit Loopline Pottery in Balmoral (Wingecaribee) by Janine King and Steve Harrison. The property is in full bloom as Steve and Janine prepare for the upcoming Southern Highlands Arts Trail.
Loopline is one of the most awe inspiring creative spaces STA have ever visited, and Steve and Janine generously gave our Executive Director Rose the full tour of the pottery and surrounding garden. She even got to stay for a home grown lunch after a flat tyre was discovered on the STA car.
Shelves within the pottery are loaded with a treasure trove of ceramic wares ready for the Arts Trail. These range from functional home wares perfect for everyday to significant statement pieces for the serious collector.
Only slightly less exciting than the pottery and works on offer is the chance to be surrounded by the spectacular gardens that are currently a riot of spring flowers, populated by happy chickens and food producing plants. It’s a world away from the wreckage left after fires destroyed much of the property in 2019. You could be forgiven for wondering if Steve and Janine ever rest from making and creating given the enormous amount that’s been achieved to get Loopline in its current state since the Black Summer.
Steve and Janine set up the Loopline Pottery in 1977. The two make pottery together under the Loopline Pottery label as well as running the Kiln and Clay Technology Company ‘Hot and Sticky’.
You will find Loopline Pottery on Gundungurra/Dharawal Country at; The Old School, 5 Railway Parade, Balmoral Village
We heartly recommend the very readable blog Tonight my Fingers Smell of Garlic which documents their creative adventures.
Steve, famously survived the Black Summer fires by taking shelter in a ‘kiln enclosure’ as the firestorm swept through the property.
“I was in there for half an hour while the firestorm went over. It was huge, just glowing orange-red everywhere. Just scary. I was terrified.”
Read the ABC story about the event; “As Balmoral burned, one man survived by hiding in a makeshift ‘coffin’ in his backyard
Loopline is a must to include on your SH Arts Trail adventure
Sat 9 – Sun 10, Sat 16 -Sun 17 Nov 2024 Southern Highlands Arts Trail 10am-4pm Visit artists in their studios. Find out more.
Dr. Steve Harrison is a Potter, retired kiln surgeon, clay doctor, wood butcher and Post Modern Peasant.
“I have been working in ceramics all my working life, studied at the National Art School and subsequently in Japan, China and Korea, I specialise in traditional, single stone, sericite porcelain.” Steve Harrison
Janine King mainly creates wheel thrown functional stoneware.
“I trained in ceramics at East Sydney technical College in the early 1970’s and have been making work since then alongside my partner, of fifty years, Steve Harrison. We established the Loopline Pottery in Balmoral Village in 1976 and taught ceramics part time in many TAFE colleges over the years.” – Janine
Collectors Note: Harrison’s works are impressed ‘SH’ in a square with the S inside the H. An early version has the ‘S’ and ‘H’ joined together. King’s works are impressed ‘JK’ and sometimes incised ‘King’. The Steve’s Pottery mark is an impressed ‘SP’, the Jenner’s Road pottery mark is an impressed ‘JRP’ and the Loopline Pottery mark is an impressed ‘LLP’.
The story of Loopline and it’s phoenix like journey is featured in the current Highlife Magazine Oct/Nov 24. You can pick up a copy from your favourite newsstand across the Highlands
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