Ma Te Ra

Dimensions: A4 and A3

Amber Smith is a printmaker from Nelson who is also well known for her work in ceramics. The imagery that Smith uses in her prints are Amber’s exploration of her wairoa (spirit) and what it means to come from Aotearoa. The artist says “I love words and nearly always use them in my work. Maori whakatauki (proverbs) and waiata aroha (songs about the nature of love) have such an emotional resonance that they become part of the image itself.”

Amber works with ceramics in the same way as a printmaker etches in intaglio plate. All the images and words are intuitively drawn, and the detail carved back into the black ink with a stylus. The hearts, vessels and bowls are all hand built. Each piece, has been crafted as an individual work without any use of transfers or stencils.

Amber loves words and nearly always use them in her work. Maori whakatauki (proverbs) and waiata aroha (songs about the nature of love) have such an emotional resonance that they become part of the image itself.

The tall vessels and bowls are made from Nelson earthenware clay. They are painted with clay slip and stain, then drawn on by etching back onto the surface.

The tall forms are called kura korero (kura means red pigment from the earth, and korero to speak) because when grouped together they look like people who are speaking and listening to each other.... and because when you listen with your ear over the mouth, you can hear the sea or wind blow.

Amber Smith is a painter and potter who lives with her children in Whakatu (Nelson) Aotearoa.