Bernard Kerr has been a practicing ceramic artist for over 45 years producing both functional and sculptural work in stoneware and porcelain.

He also has an extensive background in education locally and internationally in both the tertiary and secondary fields.

His work is featured in a number of international publications and he has authored international journal articles concerning Australian ceramics. His work is held in a number of government, private and corporate collections.

Some aspects of Bernard’s work are linked to the Western Australian landscape such as those based on the ancient eroded rocks and landforms and the wildflowers that have evolved in them that are unique to WA.

Another line of inquiry investigates the relationships between image and object by referencing the history of painting and sculpture in the medium of ceramics.

He is interested in the genres of landscape and still-life painting and how their meaning is altered when constructed in three dimensions in the ceramic medium. In terms of sculpture, other works focus on the human figure and Issues related to realism and abstraction, the body canon, aesthetics and proportion, and how the human body has been represented throughout the ages.

Bernard is the President of the Ceramic Arts Association of Western Australia Inc. He is coming to Esperance to teach a Ceramic Figure Sculpture Course, a three-day course being held at the Cannery Arts Centre from 23-25 September. BOOK NOW

View Bernard’s work on his website

IMAGE BY JENNY KERR

Thank you to our sponsors, our Artist in Residence program is funded by the Esperance Ag Fund disbursed by the Fremantle Foundation.