We already know Pia Sillem’s work. Her beautifully wrought ceramic pieces celebrate the form, composition, and slow, deliberate movement of the natural world around us. Her sculptures take the deeply familiar forms of young leaves unfurling, old leaves curling, of seeds and seed pods. We are reminded of the symmetry in life cycles, from beginning to end. Her vessels and vases are elegant and earthy at the same time, swelling and narrowing with an organic ease. And her beautiful urns are spare but comfortingly solid, in lovely natural tones, with just a hint of detail.
Sillem has lived on the Sunshine Coast since 2007. Four friends got together to build a wood-fired kiln and continue to help in each firing, which is a labour- and time-intensive undertaking. With wood taken from the property, the kiln must be stoked for fifty hours to reach the required temperature of 1300° Celcius (2350° Fahrenheit). The results are simply gorgeous. Her work can be viewed at Geopia Garden and Gallery, in Earl’s Cove.
Words | Nancy Pincombe
