Verve - Artistic Showcase - May 2006 -South East Open Studios reveals the skills and flair of local innovative designer-makers

Participating for the first time is Kazumi Harnett, a ceramic artist whose exciting work involves creating individual thrown and altered vessels, which requires immediate responses to the material.  Using coarse stoneware clay, some of the marks and textures are strong and bold and others subtle and fragile, enhancing both the tactile and visual qualities of her pieces.  Sensual glazes are then applied.

"Playing with the material really excites me and sometimes reveals surprising results which I try to combine into my work to bring out spontaneous and playful elements", she says.

Although fairly new to ceramics and with only five years' experience, a connection with clay goes back to her upbringing in a very rural part of Japan.  The environment in Otford, near Sevenoaks, where she has lived for the last four years, has lots of similarities with her home town in Japan.  Other influences include traditional Japanese ceramics, ink painting and calligraphy.

After graduating with a distinction class Diploma in Ceramics from London's City Lit last July she set up her own business and has exhibited in Devon and Leeds and has been selected to exhibit at New Designers in Islington in partnership with the Crafts Council.

Regular Open Studios exhibitor Liz Garnett of Brabourne Lees, Ashford is becoming known for her experimental use of film and has spent the last couple of years developing a series of flower portraits.  In 2005 she set about having her pictures reproduced onto coasters and limited edition signed mugs for sale at her open studio.  This year, she has gone one step further has signed up with SP!CE to have her work reproduced onto t-shirts, linen bags, mousemats and wheelie bin stickers which she feels add a bit of fun and colour to what is a rather dull and boring object.

"I like the fact that the items aren't mass produced," says Liz. "A boss once told me that the advert that pronounced 'I liked the product so much I bought the company' was a good basis on which to work when buying investments.  I have applied the same principle to the products I choose to have printed with my flowers."  If the response to her linen bags and wheelie bin stickers are anything to go by, her instincts have proved correct.

Liz uses her technical knowledge of films and processes to create these vibrant images, which are also available as prints or on large-scale canvases.  Her photography can be seen at www.lizgarnett.com. To find out more about her shop at SP!CE, log onto www.spice.co.uk/shop 151.

WHERE AND WHEN TO SEE THEIR WORK

Celebrating its 10th anniversary, there are a record-breaking 251 entries in the Open Studios guide, featuring paintings and other disciplines such as furniture making, jewellery, ceramics, textiles, photography, sculpture, stained glass and mosaics.

This year, South East Open Studios will run from 9 to 25 June.  A free, full-colour illustrated guidebook with artists' directory, including opening dates and times, and a useful map, will be available from public libraries and tourist offices throughout Kent and East Sussex from this month. 

See also the website: www.southeastopenstudios.org.uk