Fleur Schell

The Excellent Adventures of Heidi and Kilbey
by Fleur Schell

Click here to view some of the images from the book

Starting an entirely new series of work is something I relish. Often the work evolves in such a way that the new direction has begun before I’m even aware of it.

In 2004, I received an Australia Council Grant to develop a new series of works in Porcelain with other media. Using the grant, I set myself the challenge of taking my work to a new audience using new concepts and processes. An integral part of this new direction was the dramatic lifestyle changes that came with the birth of my daughter 20 months ago.

I could never have foreseen what an impact our little girl Heidi would have on how I see the world and what I consider as important in my life and making art. From the day she was born, I have been collecting the most beautiful and innovative children’s books. After reading them to Heidi I realised this could be the new vehicle for reaching a wider audience. My new audience would include children and their parents as I explore figurative porcelain objects with other materials. I am currently writing a manuscript with the main characters being Heidi and our dog, Kilbey.  They are inseparable!  With a working title of 'The Excellent Adventures of Heidi and Kilbey’, the story follows their fabulous daily adventures.

I describe the making process as static animation. Like building miniature set designs, my starting point is a flat wooden panel that I layer and build up with wood, metal and glass to create the backdrop to a scene. I then place hand-built and wheel thrown porcelain sculptures amongst the scene before they are finally photographed.

Each page of the book features themes, characters and colours designed to appeal to young children and the child in all of us. I am convinced that all children love the tactile plastic nature of clay, so at the end of the book I plan to include a ‘how to make’ section. This will be in the form of pictorial step by step instructions showing the clay construction and production of Kilbey and Heidi and the creatures they encounter in their adventures. This is perhaps one of the most important parts of the book as it unveils the magic of the journey. Clay is an important educational tool and I hope this book will convey how simple and fun clay can be.

For more info visit www.fleurschell.com