Zara Gardner
Zara was born and raised on the Caribbean island of Barbados and spent her formative years studying and working between Canada and Barbados, respectively. She has a diverse background in the arts, particularly in the mediums of painting, drawing, printmaking and ceramics. She received her BA (Hons.) in Fine Art from the University of Guelph (Guelph, ON, Canada) in 2010 and most recently a Certificate in Ceramics from the Haliburton School of Art and Design, Fleming College (Haliburton, ON, Canada) in 2016.
Initially beginning her artistic practice as a painter, Zara decided to dive into the world of ceramics as she was intrigued by the unlimited possibilities that clay has to offer. Being the most versatile of mediums that combine an array of techniques such as drawing, painting, printmaking, sculpture, design and installation, it only seemed fitting as she could combine all of the techniques explored in her prior artistic studies and work and merge them into a new form. This new found interest in ceramics proved very exciting as she was able to translate past subjects done on a two-dimensional surface into the realm of three-dimensional objects.
The majority of Zara's work aims to visually communicate and inspire environmental awareness by focusing on issues that are of personal concern, particularly those that arise from in and around her home country of Barbados. The critical issues of plastic pollution in our marine environments and coral bleaching due to climate change are the main areas of investigation in her artistic practice. Inspired by coral reefs and the human caused threats they face, her work strives to stimulate and provoke the conscience of consumers of single- use plastic disposables.
Current Artwork Available
Urchin Vessel (large size work)
Light buff speckled stoneware light blue glaze. This series of vessels explore the intricate and detailed patterns and textures of sea urchins and sea eggs
Ingestion I Black Stoneware series (4 visuals of the same work). Sold
Black Stoneware & Porcelain fired to Cone 6 .This series of hand built sculptural works examine how different species are adapting to invasive plastic debris particularly when it comes to feeding and consumption. In these works, plastic debris such as plastic bottles and laundry detergent lids can be found inside these ‘creatures’ which are ingesting and consuming it. Tentacles squeeze and wrap themselves around the debris, attempting to break it down. These ‘creatures’ bare an an abstracted reference to an array of marine organisms examined from marine photography and scientific illustrations. Attention to detail, pattern and texture expose the complexities and fragility of these creatures. This series aims to provoke the viewer to reconsider their consumption of single-use plastic items and to think about where they actually end up, reminding us that we must be responsible with the waste we generate.
Reef Outplants’, 2020-21 (Group Shot- in groups of 3 or 2)
Description: Deep blue and light turquoise stained porcelain slip casted laundry detergent lids with intricate hand-built marine organisms in white speckled stoneware
Plastiglomerate Vessel, Large size work, black stoneware. Sold
This series explores how plastic disposable items are becoming one with the earth. These vessels become a fusion of natural and manufactured materials, binding them together into one mass.
Urchin Vessel small, white speckled turquoise
Each piece is one of a kind and has its own unique, intricate pattern.
Urchin vessel small, white speckled blue
Each piece is one of a kind and has its own unique, intricate pattern.
Urchin vessel small, white speckled turquoise
Each piece is one of a kind and has its own unique, intricate pattern.
Bleached Coral Vessel 3
White Speckled stoneware, glaze, fired to cone 6, Muted glaze colours, often varying tones of white, are used to touch on the fact that these coral structures have been prone to coral bleaching.
Bleached Coral Vessel 2
White speckled stoneware, glaze, fired to Cone 6, Muted glaze colours, often varying tones of white, are used to touch on the fact that these coral structures have been prone to coral bleaching.
Plastiglomerate Vessel, Large size work, black stoneware. Sold
This series explores how plastic disposable items are becoming one with the earth. Working with black stoneware, I use a variety of found plastic objects as sprig moulds, such as bottles, rope (from fishing nets), toothpaste tubes, and toothbrushes.
Ingestion IV Black Stoneware series ( 4 visuals of the same work) Sold
Black Stoneware & Porcelain fired to Cone 6, This series of hand built sculptural works examine how different species are adapting to invasive plastic debris particularly when it comes to feeding and consumption. In these works, plastic debris such as plastic bottles and laundry detergent lids can be found inside these ‘creatures’ which are ingesting and consuming it. Tentacles squeeze and wrap themselves around the debris, attempting to break it down. These ‘creatures’ bare an an abstracted reference to an array of marine organisms examined from marine photography and scientific illustrations. Attention to detail, pattern and texture expose the complexities and fragility of these creatures. This series aims to provoke the viewer to reconsider their consumption of single-use plastic items and to think about where they actually end up, reminding us that we must be responsible with the waste we generate.
Urchin vessel small, dark speckled turquoise
Each piece is one of a kind and has its own unique, intricate pattern.
Urchin Vessel, Large urchin vessel with concave mouth dark buff speckled stoneware with turquoise green glaze. Sold
.This series of vessels explore the intricate and detailed patterns and textures of sea urchins and sea eggs. Each piece is hand thrown on the potter’s wheel or hand-built using slabs of clay and then adorned with hand built additions (spikes) and multiple layered dots using coloured slip. This process requires a lot of time and patience.
Urchin vessel small, dark speckled turquoise
Each piece is one of a kind and has its own unique, intricate pattern.