Bernard Kerr

My work is diverse and eclectic. I use surfaces and imagery that are inspired by the natural physical environment. The indigenous flora and the ancient eroded landscape of Western Australia inspire my vessel forms, which seek to express a unique Australian quality, whilst I also produce ‘ceramic collage’ pieces that reference traditional landscape painting in a craft medium. The ‘still-life’ works on the other hand, refer to histories of domesticity, the tradition of still-life painting and its associated symbolism.

Bernard Kerr completed his Master of Visual Arts from Curtin University in 1994, and has an extensive background in lecturing at a tertiary level and secondary school teaching and has been on the Syllabus Committee for TEE art and Chief marker at the Curriculum Council for many years. He currently holds the position of Curriculum Leader for the Arts at Scotch College in Swanbourne and has developed a new Ceramics course for Middle School students in Ceramics. He has delivered conference papers at National Ceramics Conferences since 1992 and co-ordinated the 9th Conference ‘EDGE’ in Perth in 1999. His work is featured in a number of international publications, the most recent of which is “500 Vases” , published by Lark Books in 2011. He has also published several international journal articles concerning Western Australian ceramics alongside regular participation in group exhibitions and his work is held in a number of government, private and corporate collections .