Ana Jensen Ceramics

Ceramics

Ana Maria Hernandez Y Jensen is a full time potter living in the western district of country Victoria, Australia. She makes a range of hand-thrown domestic wares for daily use, as well as some sculpture. The domestic forms she produces - vases, bowls, milk jugs and platters - have a clean, contemporary style reflecting her Danish background. They are glazed in a range of colours and fired in her gas kiln.

Ana's education in ceramics began in Denmark where she undertook a traineeship as a potter. The emphasis of this training was on production throwing, demanding the development of a high degree of skill on the potter's wheel. This traineeship also took Ana to England and France, including a time at La Borne pottery village. This gave her exposure to a wide variety of studio practices and methods of firing.

On arrival in Australia, Ana worked for several years at Qdos Arts in Lorne, under the guidance of Graeme Wilke. At Qdos she was introduced to sculptural work in clay. Her sculptural forms are hand built, slowly from coils and fired in a variety of wood kilns. Like her domestic wares, her sculptures are strong, simple forms with unembellished surfaces. This demonstrates how strong the influence of her Danish background remains on the design and making of her work.