Looking Back – Ceramic Paintings By Gennie de Lange

Gennie de Lange commenced art studies at the Wellington Polytechnic 1958-1960. She furthered her studies in pottery at the Hammersmith School of Art, London 1963–1964 and worked at the Chelsea Pottery in London 1965–1967. In 1980 she undertook post-graduate studies at the Middlesex School of Art.

Since her first group show, at the New York World Fair in 1967, de Lange has continued to exhibit widely throughout New Zealand in both dealer and public art galleries including The Suter (Nelson), The Sarjeant (Whanganui), The Dowse (Upper Hutt) and Govett-Brewster (New Plymouth).

Her work has also been exhibited in England, France and Switzerland, and is in both public and private art collections including the Auckland Museum, The James Wallace Collection and the Waikato and Christchurch art galleries.

de Lange is best known for her ceramic paintings created using a unique glazing technique developed over some 40 years. Working on unglazed terracotta, she paints many layers of glazes. The tones and colours (matte pastels before firing) are completely transformed after three days in the kiln. Some glazes are transparent, while others opaque. All are difficult to apply evenly and some react unfavourably when applied near others. Through endless experimentation, de Lange has discovered how to handle these to their greatest advantage.

Looking Back is de Lange’s first exhibition in 4 years and may well be her last. Stopping work in ceramics 5 years ago, after suitable earthenware tiles and glazes became almost unobtainable, the works on show are from her private collection.

There is a very painterly feel to the works and the glaze effects are rich, luminous and complex, with a jewel-like quality.