About

Studio Andlee was established in 2020 in Ainslie, Australian Capital Territory, Australia. At this time my visual arts practice returned to working in clay to explore social and political issues about the fragility of nature and life.

By observing things closely I investigate the beauty in the detail. The commodity of time is increasingly precious and I invest heavily in making each work. The forms are sometimes functional and increasingly sculptural. I am interested in the surface and what lies within. My practice is research based.

I received formal qualifications in visual arts at UniSA (MVA Visual Arts and BEd. Fine Arts). Ceramics was one of my majors in the late 1970s, along with Drawing and Fabrications. Decades later my Masters work was installation based and drew together concepts of gender and identity. Over my career as a visual artist I have worked in a range of media (print, photography, installation, illustration, film and sculpture) addressing personal and political issues.

My life long background in education and the arts includes working in education at all levels and in the museum and gallery sector, in Adelaide and Canberra.

I enjoy working collaboratively with other artists and independently. My studio is based in Canberra.

Amanda Andlee POLAND

August 2025

Create

It all begins with thinking deeply. Responding to the idea whilst remembering, researching, seeing and feeling is a critical stage.

The time, space, clay and tools enable the process to realise the concept and idea.

Either wheel thrown, wheel thrown and altered or hand-built by slab, pinch or coil technique - the forms created are ready for the surface consideration. Singular objects or an installation of forms articulate the research based intentions.

Carve

Carving to various depths enhances the form of the vessel and the surface. This is my most common approach to the surface. The carving begins at a point, like a drawing, and then describes the outline, the spaces in between and the detail. Sometimes I use just one tool type, a wire ended carving tool and repeatedly wear through the wire! Sometimes I use more specialist carving tools, like those I have used and bought in Jingdezhen, China.

The type of clay, porcelain or stoneware clay, and the state of the clay when you carve impacts on the surface finish. Leather-hard is ideal for some carving, while less moisture in clay is required for other carving techniques. Maintaining the clay at the same ‘wetness’ for the entire carving process is desirable as it enables a consistent visual effect.

Fire

Once the clay is dried slowly the vessel is ready to be bisque fired. I fire in an electric kiln and bisque fire to 1000 degrees. The vessel can then be glazed (or not) and fired again to the maximum temperature for the clay. I generally fire to 1280 degrees which is stoneware. I have two TETLOW electric kilns. I generally use one kiln for bisque firing and the larger 3 phase kiln for glaze firing.