The shape of water: Pottery inspired by the South West coastline

For over three and a half decades, Western Australian potter Warrick Palmateer has been channelling his deep connection to the coastal landscape into his ceramic vessels. His newest exhibition, titled Leeuwin Current, is on display at Rockingham Arts Centre from Saturday, August 17 to Sunday, September 8 for this year’s Indian Ocean Craft Triennial. BRAYDEN EDWARDS caught up with Warrick Palmateer to find out how the piece reflects the rugged and delicate beauty of the Indian Ocean and South West coastline he calls home. 

How did you come to be part of the exhibition?

I had an exhibition at the John Curtin Gallery in 2018 titled ‘Confluence’ with Pippin Drysdale. The work that I exhibited was inspired by the south-western Indian Ocean coastline where I grew up. Jude van der Merwe, who is one of the directors of the Indian Ocean Craft Triennium 2024 (IOTA24), had seen the work I created for Confluence, and because of its strong connection with the Indian Ocean, I was selected to be part of IOTA24.

What makes your work stand out from the others at this year’s event?

My work is unique as it is made from Western Australian clay and is predominantly created on a potter’s wheel. The forms are manipulated in a sculptural technique to capture the movement, texture, and, ultimately, colours of the south-western Indian Ocean littoral zone. Each piece is completely handmade and one-of-a-kind.

Where do you source the materials for your creations?

Most of the clay I use is locally sourced from clay pits in the Perth Hills. I am fortunate to have had an ongoing relationship with Midland Brick after working onsite at their South Guildford brick-making factory in 2018 to complete the work for the Confluence exhibition. The glazes I use are formulated from Australian materials like feldspar, lithium, copper and iron oxide.

This piece is inspired by the Leeuwin Current. What is it about the Leeuwin Current that makes it a great concept to base your craft on?

The exhibition is titled ‘Leeuwin Current,’ and the work that I have created for the exhibition is inspired by the flow of the Leeuwin Current as it moves southward from the north-west Cape of Western Australia and around Cape Leeuwin to enter the waters of the Southern Ocean. I have aimed to capture the feeling of flowing currents moving across my work and the interplay between the dynamic forces of nature and the convergence of land and sea.

As a keen surfer, I have been fortunate to be able to witness the Leeuwin Current littoral zone from both a land and water perspective, and these experiences have informed the way I intuitively created and rendered the work for the Leeuwin Current exhibition.

More broadly, your work is inspired by the Western Australian coastline. Do you have any places on that coast that hold important memories or meaning for you?

I grew up in the North Beach region of Perth and was captivated by the Indian Ocean from an early age. I learned to surf at Mettams Pool before graduating to Trigg Beach when my skill level improved. I was fortunate that my parents had an onsite caravan at Yallingup Beach during my teenage years, and I was able to spend much of those years surfing the waves on the Yallingup and Margaret River coastline. I now reside in Yanchep, overlooking the Indian Ocean, and have made this part of the coast my home. I still spend many hours beachcombing and surfing the coast around my home in between creating ceramic work in my Yanchep studio.

What was the most challenging and rewarding part of being part of IOTA24?

It is always challenging to create ceramic work when you are developing new techniques and forms, and even more challenging when you are working towards an exhibition date! There are so many variables with the materials I use and the process of making, glazing, and ultimately firing the work in a gas kiln.

At any point along the process timeline, things can go wrong and work can fail. It is this challenge that inspires me to search for ways to overcome the failures and ultimately end up with artwork that captures my intentions and can be enjoyed by a wide audience.

And what’s next for you? Are there any other exciting projects in the works?

I have collaborated with fellow ceramic artist Pippin Drysdale for over 30 years, and following the Leeuwin Current exhibition, I will begin working with her on a major survey exhibition of her work that the Art Gallery of Western Australia is having in November 2025. This exhibition will be part of the Festival of Perth 2025 program and will also showcase a new body of work that I will be creating with Pippin.