MERRAN ESSON

I flew in gliders with my father, so viewing the earth below from an aerial perspective has had a lot to do with how I see the interference of man on nature. On one hand seeing a hedgerow of trees, planted to create a shade barrier for stock, also divides up the landscape in a way that fights with nature.

YOU GREW UP IN RURAL PARTS OF NSW – HOW influential has this aspect of your life been on your art practice?

I always thought I would return to the land and when I discovered ceramics I imagined a studio behind a woolshed somewhere. I am a practical girl, and I watched my father and grandfather fix things as farmers do. It was not always beautiful, but over time a patina builds up and something