Read about the Skills and Stories that surround each piece entered into the Quarry Ceramic Awards in our online catalogue here.
The Quarry Ceramic Awards have been active at the Quarry Arts Centre since 2018. This event will be switching to a bi-annual event to compliment WaiClay in the Waikato region after this year’s event. Our the next awards will be in 2026.
Introducing Our Judge – Fiona Tunnicliffe
Award winning and celebrated ceramic artist Fiona Tunnicliffe, has over 30 years experience of working with clay and specializes in creating captivating animal-inspired ceramic pieces enriched by meticulous application of textures, patterns and relief work.
A true master of her craft and a natural teacher, Fiona has an adept way of fashioning her clay work in a natural, instinctive way as she builds her pieces. Each of Tunnicliffe’s pieces exude their own unique personality and these whimsically charming pieces are collected and treasured widely.
Fiona Tunnicliffe’s passion for clay was kindled and encouraged during her school years. She undertook the ceramics course at Whanganui Polytechnic, expanding her knowledge and expertise under the tuition of George Kojis, Ross Mitchell-Anyon and Paul Windspear. She has a Diploma of Ceramic Arts through Otago Polytechnic. Fiona has won numerous accolades for her work including people’s choice awards and overall section winners at key New Zealand Art and Ceramic exhibitions.
Fiona is based in the Waikato, dividing her time between making and exhibiting her work in galleries throughout New Zealand, and teaching ceramic art.
Welcome Fiona and thank you for being our judge this year!
Fiona will be running two 1-day workshops while over for the opening of the Quarry Ceramic Awards.
Dates for 2024
Saturday 31 August – Entries close at 11.59pm
Monday 16 September – Selections notified
Wednesday 16 October – Deadline 4pm for selected work to be delivered to Quarry Art Centre.
Friday 25 October – Exhibition opening event 5pm. Award winners announced. Sales open.
25 October – 23 November – Exhibition runs at the Yvonne Rust Gallery, Mon – Sat 9:30am – 4:30pm.
27 November – All unsold items to be collected or to be returned via courier (cost to the creator).
Quarry Ceramic Award Prizes for 2024
A HUGE THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS!!!
Premier Award
$1500 in cash + $800 in vouchers
Sponsored by Quarry Arts Centre, Creative Northland, BotPots, Abbots Glazes
Runner Up
$700 in vouchers
Sponsored by Primo Clay, BotPots and Kiwi Underglaze
Youth Award
$250 voucher from CCG
Judges Merits – 4
- Quarry Kiln Award (specific entry on form) – $500 use of the Quarry Arts Centre Kilns (must be able to utilize the Quarry Kilns)
- $300 voucher from Clay Down Under
- $100 voucher from BotPots
- $100 from Claybright voucher
People’s Choice (voted in gallery)
$500 cash to support professional development (Creative Northland)
2023 Quarry Ceramic Awards
The Quarry Ceramic Awards for 2023 opened on Friday 13 October 2023 5pm. The Judge was Mark Mitchell (Kerikeri). See the online catalogue to read the technical notes and inspiration behind this year’s entries. A video of the Judge’s comments with the winners is available below (keep scrolling)
WINNERS OF QCA23
Premier Open Ceramic Award – Claire Preen from Auckland for “Not Forgetting”. $1500 in cash + Primo and Claybright prizes sponsored by Quarry Arts Centre, Creative Northland, Primo and Claybright.
Quarry Kiln Award – Els Van Drunen from Whangarei for “Vase”. Up to $500 use of Quarry Kilns sponsored by Quarry Arts Centre.
Kiwi Underglaze Prize – Rom Marinkovich from Albany, Auckland, for “MFL Rocket Vessel” – a set of 20 x 100ml Kiwi Underglaze + $100 Prezzy Card
Macs Mud Prize – Maak Bow from Kaiwaka for “The Thing in Itself”. A 10kg bag of each of the Mac’s Mud Clay Range + $100 Prezzy Card.
Abbots Glazes Prize – Monica McCormack from Paraparaumu for “Swan Emerging”. $300 Voucher.
CCG Prize – Linette van Greunen from Whangarei for “The world above, around and below us”. – $250 voucher.
People’s Choice Award
The Winner of the QCA23 People’s Choice Award is Jay Allen. Jay receives a 4-week residency with Driving Creek Pottery and $1000 to spend on clay, glazes and firings.
The Exhibition consists of 43 pieces from around Aotearoa, show-casing the talents of ceramic artists residing in New Zealand. All pieces will be for sale. Click here for online catalogue or button below.
SPONSORS AND PRIZE POOL
A huge thank you to our sponsors for the 2023 Quarry Ceramic Awards!
Open Ceramic Award – Top Prize – $2000 in cash and prizes – Sponsored by Creative Northland and the Quarry Arts Centre.
Judges’ Merit Awards
Macs Mud Prize
- A 10kg bag of each of the Mac’s Mud Clay Range
- $100 Prezzy Card
Kiwi Underglaze Prize
- Set of 20 x 100ml Kiwi Underglaze
- $100 Prezzy Card
Primo Clay Prize
- $400 Voucher
Abbots Glazes Prize
- $300 Voucher
CCG Prize
- $250 voucher
Claybright Underglaze
- $100 Voucher
Quarry Kiln Award – Up to $500 use of Quarry Kilns
People’s Choice Award – 4 week residency at Driving Creek + $1000 to spend on clay, glazes and firings
Join us for the opening night on Friday 13th October to find out who wins!
A quick history of the Quarry Ceramic Awards
The Quarry Ceramic Awards are proudly hosted by the Northland Craft Trust and exhibited in the Yvonne Rust Gallery, at the Quarry Arts Centre (Whangarei). The Awards are a National Competition with works accepted from around Aotearoa, as long as they are made from predominantly ceramic. The Awards are “open” meaning there is no criteria for entries – anything goes, small, large, vessel, sculpture. In 2022 communications about the QCA, a size restriction was going to be in place. However, this has been removed, and all sizes are welcome. We welcome the wide-variety of art that is submitted each year.
A ceramics awards of some kind has been running in Northland for 20 years. For the first 15 years it came under the name of the ‘Northland Potters Award’. This was started by Susie Leigh Rogers as part of an initiative with New Zealand Potters to celebrate local ceramics artists. This event was for Northland potters only and was a $1000 acquisitive award sponsored by the Whangarei District Council. You can see the pottery acquired by the WDC during this time in Forum North and Botanica Gardens.
In 2018 the coordination of the Awards were handed over to the Quarry Arts Centre. The awards were opened up to be a National Award named the “Open Ceramics Award”, also $1000 top prize. In 2022 the name changed to “Quarry Ceramics Awards” with additional awards added and the prize pool expanded.
