ABOUT VICKI
Vicki Charles is a talented ceramic sculptor originally from Melbourne, Australia but now settled in her beautiful home in The Wood, Nelson, New Zealand - which includes a small gallery and a fully equipped studio.
Growing up in Melbourne Vicki was immersed in culture and art from a young age which fueled her intrinsic creative nature. After leaving school she traveled around Australia and the world, including Europe, which was where she first really discovered art in all it’s glory and was inspired to pursue a creative profession.
Upon her return to Melbourne she turned her hand to various creative outlets in her pursuit to find her niche such as creative writing, poetry, floristry, photography and oil painting. While she was successful in all her endeavours, it was ceramic sculpture that she really fell in love with and was fully realised under the tutelage of Klaus and Ingrid Dusselberg, 2 internationally renowned professional sculptor artists and tutors based in Melbourne. Under their guidance she developed and fine tuned her skills over 16 years of weekly sessions - in which time Klaus and Ingrid became like family and were hugely influential in her life.
In 2015 a life-changing personal event became the catalyst for Vicki finally finding her sculpture style and what she wanted to say in her works. Her direction in life shifted and so did she, to Nelson to pursue her dream of becoming a professional artist. This life-altering event, while emotionally challenging, has the silver lining in that it has led to her current success as a sculptor and the opportunity to open her workshop for tutoring and classes.
Vicki explores her emotional connectedness to humanity in her sculpture. Finding inspiration through the words of philosophers and spiritual teachers like Rumi, who speak of love and compassion; as well as from inner journeys, symbolism and dreams. Each unique piece is sculpted by hand and moulded to shape delicately and skillfully at Vicki’s studio using ceramic clay. The stylized figures are then glazed in a high white gloss to symbolise the preciousness of human life and the lantern used throughout her works represents light and love.
“I sit in my studio, listening to the birds, in an almost meditative state"
Currently exhibiting her works at various galleries around New Zealand and completing commissioned based works for Australian clientele, Vicki is thoroughly settled into life as a professional sculptor and tutor in her Nelson based home and looks forward to what the future will bring.
Vicki loves sharing her wealth of knowledge with others. She enjoys watching them learn technical skills and then seeing their creativity come to life in something formed by their own hands.
A skilled tutor with a wealth of knowledge to share and a world-class professional ceramic sculptor, Vicki Charles is only just starting on her journey and has a world of possibility awaiting her which she would love to share with you, as a student, gallery owner or an owner of her works.
HIGHLIGHTS & EXHIBITIONS
1995 | Victorian Artist Society East Melbourne Australia
2001 | Box Hill Community Centre, Box Hill Australia
2006 - 2008 |Birds Gallery, Kew Australia
2009 | Bulleen Art Gallery, Bulleen Australia
2010 | Melbourne International Flower & Garden Show
2011 | ‘Clay in Motion’ Birds Gallery Melbourne
2016 December | Nelson Community Potters Nelson New Zealand
2017 - 2018 | Parker Gallery Nelson New Zealand
2017-2018 | Central Art Gallery Queenstown
2017 June | Nelson Suter Art Society Suter Group Exhibition ‘Together’
2017 | Black Door Gallery Parnell, Auckland Gallery
2017 August | Nelson Suter Art Society, The Suter Gallery ‘Spring Exhibition’
2017 November | Craft Potters Gallery, Annual Exhibition
2017 November | Nelson Suter Art Society, The Suter Gallery ‘Summer Exhibition’
2017 December | The Suter Gallery ‘Fire & Earth, Body & Bone Exhibition’
2018 February | Top of the South Ceramists Exhibition at the Suter, Nelson
2018 March | Nelson Suter Art Society, The Suter Gallery ‘Autumn Exhibition’
2018 May | Nelson Suter Art Society, The Suter Gallery ‘More is More’
2018 August | Selected as finalist for the Ceramics NZ 59th National Exhibition
2018 September | Art Matakana Gallery Matakana, NZ
2018 September | Finalist for the NZ Ceramicists Competition
2018 September | Nelson Suter Art Society, The Suter Gallery ‘Spring Exhibition
2019 February | Origin Gallery Nelson
2019 March | Nelson Suter Art Society, The Suter Gallery ‘Autumn Exhibition’
2019 September | Nelson Suter Art Society, The Suter Gallery ‘Spring Exhibition"
2019 November | "We are all Connected" Solo Exhibtion,The Suter Gallery Nelson
2019 November | Selected Top of the South Ceramists Exhibition at the Suter, Nelson
“We are impressed by your technical skill and the beautiful psychological readings of your figures”
Black Door Gallery, Parnell Auckland
GALLERIES
You can purchase sculptures directly through me via the website or
visit the wonderful galleries around New Zealand who stock my works:
Origin Gallery
123 Hardy Street
Nelson 7010
Nelson Suter Art Society
The Suter Gallery
208 Bridge St, Nelson, 7010
Art Matakana Gallery
Matakana Country Park
1151 Leigh Road, Matakana, Auckland