About Me

Doctor Ray Hearn was born in Stawell, Victoria in January 1943, and has recently moved to Woodend after many years in Darwin. His current work reflects this sense of transition, not only the move across Australia and completing a cross disciplinary PhD in Anthropology and Fine Art in 2003, but also periodic field work and teaching in Thailand since 1996. He has exhibited widely for more than 30 years both in Australia and internationally since his first exhibition in Geelong in 1971.

There are two themes to his current drawings and sculptures - the Ned Kelly series and the Shards series. The Kelly Series is inspired by the story of the pregnant Mary Hearn in Peter Carey’s book, Sgt. Kennedy house paint, and a reaction against the Sidney Nolan Kellys. Shards is an ongoing body of work that has arisen out of the PhD research, life in Darwin and ongoing field work in remote northern Thailand. Trained as a potter, the ceramics used in the sculptures have a domestic and functional reference, but the human presence is now signalled by its absence.

The Shards series were recently shown at the Skepsi Gallery in Swanston St Melbourne. Since then the artist has started a new brightly coloured series with some work done in Thailand, and he is working towards further exhibitions at Skepsi, and a survey exhibition at The Geelong Art Gallery.

 

Born: Stawell, Vic 1943.
Address: 24 Anslow St
Woodend Vic 3442.
Phone: 903) 5427 3916.
E-mail: ray.hearn@bigpond.com
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1. QUALIFICATIONS:

(a) Ph.D.in Anthropology & Fine Art,: Northern Territory University. Thesis title –
Shards: Contemporary and Historical Thai Ceramics, 2003.
(b) MFA: University of Regina, Canada 1976.
(c) Graduate Diploma in Ed Admin: TSIT, Launceston, Tasmania, 1988.
(d) Diploma of Art: Ballarat School of Mines, 1970.
(e) Current studies: MA (Museum Curatorship), University of Melbourne 2002-

2. RECENT SOLO EXHIBITIONS:

2003 - The Ned Kelly Series, Woodend Art and Antiques
2002 - The Potters of Ban Ko Noi, East and West Art, Kew.
2001 - Shards#3, The Framed Gallery, Darwin.
Voyage, Northern Territory University Gallery, Darwin.
2000 - Thai Ceramics, Crafts Council of the NT Gallery, Darwin.
1999 - Shards #2, Chiang Mai University Art Museum, Chiang Mai, Thailand.
1998 - The Past Isn't Always Another Country, NTU Gallery, Darwin
1996 - Shards #1, Chiang Mai University Faculty of Fine Arts Gallery, Thailand.
1995 - Voyagers/Voyeurs, NTU Gallery, NTU, Darwin.
1994 - Darwin Drawings with Ceramics & Sculpture, Museum and Art Galleries of the Northern Territory, Darwin.
1993: Hopes and Fears, Regina Arts Festival, Regina, Canada.
1992: The Age of Enlightenment, Sunstorm Gallery, Darwin.

3. RECENT PUBLICATIONS:
2004 – Sawankhalok ceramics: sociology v technology TAASA Review 14/1
2002 - From subsistence farmer to potter. Pottery in Australia. 41 (3): 19-21.
2001 - Romancing the shard: an interview with Don Hein. SPAFA Digest. 11 (3): 21-36.
2000 - Thai ceramics, Lan Na and Sawankhalok: an interview with John Shaw.
The Journal of the Siam Society. Bangkok. 88 (1&2): 213-217.
1999 – (a) A Report on a visit to the recently excavated kin site at Ban
Intakin, northern Thailand. The Beagle. The Journal of the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory. Darwin, NT. 15:143-154.
(b) The ancient pottery centre of NE Thailand - Ban Chiang. Pottery in Australia. 38(4): 63-67.

4. RECENT CURATORIAL EXPERIENCE:

1999 – 2001: Research Associate, South East Asian Art, NT Museum & Art Gallery.
1993-197: Member, NTU Art Collection Committee.
1992-1994: Curator, NTU Art Gallery

5. ACADEMIC EXPERIENCE:

2002 - Professor in Sculpture, Chiang Mai University, Thailand
1989 – 1997 - Senior Lecturer in Ceramics, School of Fine Arts, NTU.
1995 - 1997 -Associate Dean, School of Fine Arts, NTU.
1980 - 1989 - Ceramics Teacher, Burnie College of TAFE, Tasmania
1986-1989: Head of Art Dept, Burnie College of TAFE.
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6. ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE:

1999 - Faculty of Fine Art Sculpture Department, Chiang Mai University, Thailand.
1996 - Faculty of Fine Art Sculpture Department, Chiang Mai University, Thailand.
1993 - Faculty of Fine Art, Ceramics Department, University of Regina, Canada.
Red Deer College, Summer School Program, Alberta, Canada.

7. AWARDS:

1998-2000: University Postgraduate Scholarship.
1986: Australia Council Project Grant
1974-1975: Post-Graduate Scholarship, University of Regina.
1976: Canada Council Grant.

8. SELECTED COLLECTIONS:

The Australian Embassy, Bangkok. Chiang Mai University, and the Australia Centre, Kassaert University, Thailand. The Northern Territory University Art Collection. Museums and Art Gallery of the NT. The Supreme Court Art Collection, Darwin.
The University of Melbourne. Ballarat, Ararat and Devonport Regional Galleries.
The University of Regina and The Glenbow –Alberta Foundation, Canada