Ceramics winner of Gosford prize
Keiko Matsui of Umina was the ceramics category winner at the Gosford Art Prize exhibition which is on display at the Gosford Regional Gallery until Sunday, November 25.
Ms Matsui's winning Chrysanthemum Vase was made from porcelain on her potter's wheel and hand painted with cobalt.
Japanese by birth, Keiko moved to Australia in 1999 and has been creating functional vessels since 2000.
She studied ceramics at the National Art School in East Sydney and graduated with Honours in 2006.
Gosford mayor Cr Lawrie McKinna congratulated Keiko and asked how long it took her to make a piece like the Chrysanthemum Vase.
"A little over 10 years," said Ms Matsui.
"I practice almost every day."
Keiko and her family recently moved to the Central Coast from Bondi.
"After giving birth last year to my son, Mor, it made me question the quality of life and space," she said.
Having only lived in big cities, Keiko said she was reluctant at first to move out of Sydney.
However, having made the decision for the sake of her family she said she is now embracing her new life style.
Keiko is also in the middle of her first solo exhibition in the Southern Highlands.
The exhibition will run at the Sturt Gallery in Mittagong until Sunday, November 18.
Ms Matsui will also speak at the Gosford Regional Gallery on November 3, at 2pm.
Media Release, 17 Oct 2012
Keiki Matsui, Umina