Joan Campbell
Recently for uni, I was tasked with writing a biography for Joan Campbell, an Australian Potter who worked from the 1960s-90s and was influential in the Australian ceramics scene. In writing about her and her legacy, I was struck by a sense of affinity to her in so many ways - describing her to my friends, I joked that I was her reincarnation. So let me tell you a bit about Joan, and in turn, show you something of myself.
In 1960, a grieving housewife was advised by her doctor to take up craft to help her heal. This woman, over the next 37 years, became the force known as potter Joan Campbell. Full of verve and creative spirit, she was a prolific Australian potter, known for her bold experimentation, eagerness for challenge, and passionate advocacy for the arts community.
Born to parents Ernest and Daisy Bowler on 14 March 1925, Joan began her life in Geelong, Victoria, and moved to Western Australia in 1940. Her personality was largely influenced by her father, who instilled her with ambition and a desire to continually learn new things. In 1947 she married Jim Campbell, and the couple had four children together - Greg (1949), Sue (1952), Deborah (1959) and a fourth child, who was stillborn in 1958. The loss of her fourth child resulted in a significant decline in her mental health. Advised by a doctor, she picked up craft as a source of healing at 32, choosing clay as her medium due to its low cost. She recalls the first-ever pot she made being beautiful “...because it contains a human being doing her best at that point in time.”
Joan’s creative philosophy was defined by her desire to connect with others and attune herself to the rhythm of nature, uncovering the life-force that sustains all creation. Her process was informed by the writing of English potter Bernard Leach, who specialised in Raku, a Japanese technique where red-hot ceramic is pulled out of the kiln and smothered in combustible materials, such as sawdust, hair or paper. Joan used this technique to express her affinity to the Western Australian landscape. Using materials and colours found on the land, such as natural clay and seaweed, she created forms that were distinctly Australian. In April 1969 she held her first solo exhibition, Raku: Joan Campbell at the Old Fire Station Gallery in Perth. This was the first major exhibition of Raku pottery in Australia and established her significance in the Australian pottery scene.
Teaching and advocacy are integral components of her legacy. In 1974, Joan began hosting apprentices in her studio, supporting over 30 early-career pottersin developing their artistic voice. She was a gifted public speaker and gave lectures on creativity and culture. She was elected for eight appointments to national and state cultural authorities and won numerous awards, including a MBE (Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) in 1978 for services to the arts.
Joan’s fervent spirit meant she was well-known and loved by those close to her. While preparing for her 1997 exhibition Crescendo: Joan Campbell’s Recent Works for the Lawrence Wilson Art Gallery, she was diagnosed with cancer. Treatment took a toll on her body, and friends and former apprentices rallied to help her complete the work. She died on 5 March 1997, prior to the 11 April opening of the show. The National Gallery of Australia acknowledged the significant contribution she made to Australian cultural life in 2022, featuring her work in the exhibition Women and Clay, a part of the gallery’s Know My Name project aimed at celebrating female artists.
For me, Joan’s search for metaphors of human experience and emotional truth in the practice of making draws me to her. For Joan, Raku firing - where pots are heated to extreme levels and undergo an intense amount of stress, but come out porous - reflects the resilience of people around her like her brother, who even after experiencing extreme suffering, remained soft and gentle instead of hard and aggressive. This is something I hold onto as advice of sorts for myself, a reminder that hard things don’t have to harden me. I strive to remain open and gentle, despite my experiences.
I also am just so inspired by her drive and community spirit. All evidence points to a woman with an infectious energy and desire to advocate for what she cared about - her creative community. I want to be like her, continuing to use the stubbornness and ambition God gifted me with to help draw people together through art and culture. And I strive to be as well loved as she was by her friends. I am blessed to have people around me that I know love me very much. It is one of the most important goals of my life to keep a strong community that I love and that love me back for the rest of my days.
