UNCOMPROMISED
The Art of Hiroe Swen
March / April 2025
Skepsi Gallery
HIROE SWEN
‘I aim to create work that is not only beautiful to look at but also appeals to the heart.’
1. Dynamic Sea, series, 1973
Artist formulated clay and glaze, hand-built, sculptured, and textured
H 55 x W 76 x D 40 cm
$38,000
This piece was created only days before Hiroe and Cornel opened the Pastoral Gallery in 1973. Hiroe remembers that it was warmer than her body temperature when she took it out of the kiln. Hiroe decided to create her own clay instead of using commercial clays. ‘Cornel asked me to create some large pieces for the Pastoral Gallery opening, but creating a ceramic of this size was a challenge, and I was quite nervous. I uttered 'Hooray when I saw it come out of the kiln!'. So, this is one of my most memorable pieces, to say the least.’
2. Kindred Souls, c. 1981
Slab built, stamped decoration, multiple glazes
H 16 x W 11 x D 9.6 cm
SOLD
The bird images are stamped using sponge cut-outs. Hiroe got inspiration from images in a book entitled Art of the Eskimo: Prints*, which was gifted to her by a friend. 'I used an experimental method to make the decorative effect, like the ones in woodblock prints. I burned off the sponge pieces with a thin heated blade. I only made a few pieces as it created fumes in the process.'
3. Voyager, 1975
Coil built, wire-cut design, oxides, matt black glaze
H 43 x W 42.5 x D 16 cm
SOLD
'I made numerous pieces of different shapes using the wire-cut technique. I found that the design created with this technique is organic and endlessly interesting.’
4. Festive Season, 1977
Pressed and coil built, pale turquoise glaze, muted blue freehand linework decoration on a grey background
H 20 x W 34 x D 15.5 cm
SOLD
The boat-shaped form with a curved top is one of Hiroe's signature forms. Hiroe began making this form around mid 1975. This work was exhibited at the David Jones Art Gallery, Sydney in 1981, and at 'Designed and Made', The Rocks, Sydney in 1997.
'Drawing with glaze and black oxide on a glazed surface requires concentration and patience, but visualising the image of the finished piece made the enduring process a fun time.'
5. Flat Form, c.1978
Formed over plaster mould, resist technique using latex and newspaper
H 6 x W 28.5 x D 29.8 cm
SOLD
6. The Beach, series, 1984-1985
Coil built, brushwork decoration, glazes, oxides
H 20.2 x W 30.5 x D 12.5 cm
SOLD
'This is one of my most representative pieces of freehand brushwork design, over multiple layers of applied glazes.’
8. The Evolution of Flight, series, 1985
Slab built, stamped, low relief decoration, wax resist, oxide-tinted, black matt glaze
H 24.5 x W 29 x D 11.5 cm
SOLD
7. Barrier Reef, 1981
Pressed and coil built, wire-cut design, oxides, matt white glaze
H 28.7 x W 39.5 x D 16.5 cm
SOLD
This piece was exhibited at Hiroe's 2000 Retrospective, Craft ACT, Canberra. 'A piece I made when I became confident, enabling me to freely experiment with the wire-cut technique.’
9. Cylindrical Vase, c. 1980
Slab built, wire-cut decoration, blue glaze, and oxide
H 29 x W 12.5 x D 12.3 cm
SOLD
'An example of my early work using the wire-cut technique'.
15. Dragonfly Sanctuary, series, 1988
Slab built, matt glaze, glaze brush decoration
H 21.5 x W 17.7 x D 17.7 cm
SOLD
Two glazes (white and blue) were applied by spraying. There are two series of Hiroe's artworks using dragonflies as motifs. Both series have non-symmetrical organic forms and soft colour glazes to match the lightness of the dragonfly.
10. The Evolution of Flight, White, series, 1985-1987
Slab built, stamped, low relief decoration, wax resist, oxide-tinted, white matt glaze
H 8.2 x W 8.7 x D 16 cm
SOLD
No 11. Second Phase, The Evolution of Flight, series, 1985
Pressed and coil built, stamped, low relief decoration, wax resist, oxide-tinted, black matt glaze
H 38 x W 16 x D 37 cm
$9800
Hiroe and Cornel were surrounded by animals and nature at their residence on the outskirts of Queanbeyan in NSW, and birds were the most interesting subject. This work was a ‘display only’ and part of the Pastoral Gallery collection.
‘I made the bird stamps using a plaster mould, then pushed them onto the main piece when it was half dry, scraping off some of the clay of the main piece, and embedding the bird-shaped clay onto the surface.’
12. The Evolution of Flight, Dark, series, 1984
Slab built, stamped, low relief decoration, wax resist, oxide-tinted, black matt glaze
H 8.5 x W 15.8 x D 10 cm
SOLD
13. Murrumbidgee Irrigation, series, 1985
Coil built, titanium glaze, glaze design
H 20.5 x W 14 x D 29.5 cm
SOLD
The tree motif is one of Hiroe's favourite themes. The spotted background glaze results from the glaze's titanium oxide. This work was part of the Pastoral Gallery collection.
14. Ritualistic Object, 1988
Coil built, scrape back, multiple glazes, black oxide
H 27.5 x W 39.5 x D 17 cm
SOLD
Hiroe was inspired by the Nazca Lines in Peru in creating the linear design decoration of this work. Three layers of glaze have been applied, then scraped back from the top (and second) glaze gently and slowly, freehand, one line at a time. 'I scraped off the glaze with a sharp pointed tool, freehand, to make the linear pattern. This process required extreme patience and concentration.’
16. Rainforest II series, 1995
Pressed and coil built, hot wax resist, glaze, glaze decoration
H 22 x W 40 x D 18 cm
SOLD
17. Rainforest I, series, 1995
Pressed and coil built, hot wax resist, glaze, glaze decoration
H 32 x W 59 x D 19 cm
$8800
‘The Pastoral Gallery and our residence were located on a hill, 7 km from the Queanbeyan town centre. We could look out over Lake Burley Griffin, and the water fountain in it. The night sky was full of stars, and I saw meteors twice. The tremendous lightning over the Canberra sky was a natural threat, but at the same time, ‘art’ that appeared momentarily in the darkness.’
18. Sarabande, c. 2011-2012
Slab built, relief decoration, clear glaze, oxide
H 6.5 x W 35.5 x D 23 cm
$2500
19. In the Still of the Night, c. 2011-12
Slab built, relief decoration, clear glaze, oxide
H 5.5 x W 38 x D 24 cm
SOLD
20. Turbulent Times, series, 2007
Slab and coil built, relief decoration, clear glaze, oxide
H 20.5 x W 23.5 x D 11.5 cm
$3200
Exhibited at the Gallery East, North Fremantle, WA, in the 'Turbulent Times' Exhibition, 2007.
21. Fortitude, 2008
Slab built, relief decoration, clear glaze, oxide
H 37 x W 31.5 x D 15 cm
SOLD
Hiroe brought her parents to Australia when her only sister died unexpectedly and quite young. Her parents supported Hiroe, and she loved them dearly. Her father died in 2003, and in that same year, her mother's dementia became more pronounced. As her mother's health worsened, Hiroe had to place her in an aged care facility. She visited her mother daily with the lunch she prepared for her and helped other residents as a volunteer. It continued until 2010, when her mother passed away. Hiroe created this piece during those periods. The design reflects her sadness and loss.
22. Spirit of Survival, c. 2008
Slab built, relief decoration, clear glaze, oxide
H 30.5 x W 40.4 x D 16.4 cm
$3800
23. Rekindle, 2013
Slab built, relief decoration, clear glaze, oxide
H 27.5 x W 35 x D 15 cm
SOLD
24. Assembly of the forest, c. 2018
Coil built, bird design in freehand underglaze, clear glaze
H 19 x W 30 x D 12.5 cm
$6500
This work was exhibited at the Fifty Flights of Fancy, Watson Arts Centre Gallery, ACT in 2018.
26. To Our Retreat, c. 2018
Coil built, tree and bird design in freehand, underglaze, clear glaze
H 14 x W 28.5 x D 14.5 cm
SOLD
The tree images were created by filling in the background colour. This is the opposite to drawing the shape of a tree. It is one of Hiroe's signature styles of drawing images, in particular trees. It gives an organic feel to the work. This skilful and time-consuming decoration is often mistaken for a sheet of design pasted onto the surface, not realising that this is all created freehand by the Artist.
25. Turmoil, c. 2003-2004
Slab and coil built, glaze, freehand brushwork, black oxide
H 40.5 x W 67.5 x D 20 cm
$14,000
Birds were drawn with black oxide. Hiroe made one or two of this series. The unsettling bird images show Hiroe's uneasy feeling as her mother's health deteriorated after Hiroe cared for her at home for a few years, halting her art career.
27. Brushwork I, 2023
Coil built, relief decoration, glaze brush decoration, glaze
H 19.5 x W 35 x D 18 cm
$3800
Hiroe experimented with the momentum of brushwork instead of detailed design work. The organic shape featuring subdued relief work adds an extra interest.
28. Brushwork III, 2023
Slab and coil built, glaze brush decoration, glaze
H 17 x W 25.5 x D 11.5 cm
SOLD
29. Brushwork II, 2023
Slab and coil built, glaze brush decoration, glaze
H 12 x W 30 x D 10 cm
SOLD
30. Serendipity, c. 2019-2021
Slab built, stamp design, clear glaze on decoration, matt glaze background
H 3 x W 24 x D 17 cm
SOLD
This surface design was created using plaster stamps made by Hiroe, and an additional clear glaze. The infinite possibilities of how to relate the two separate designs into one surface was enticing. A video with Hiroe demonstrating the process of creating plaster stamps is available on the internet https://www.youtube.com/@mayumishinozaki5869 Hiroe Swen ceramic art: Digital Archive.
31. Bolero, series, 2013
Slab and coil built, cloth tape relief, glaze
H 20 x W 13.5 x D 13.7 cm
SOLD
To create the linear features, Hiroe pasted thin cloth tapes while the clay was soft, then peeled them off when dry. She delicately applied extra clay for additional relief. Work from this series was exhibited at the Hiroe Swen: Austral-Japanese Harmony Exhibition in 2013.
32. Lidded Wisdom I, c. 2020
Hand formed, stamp decoration, oxide, blue glaze
H 6 x W 9.5 x D 9.5 cm
SOLD
33. Lidded Wisdom II, c. 2020
Hand-formed, stamp decoration, oxide, blue glaze
H 7.5 x W 11.5 x D 12.5 cm
SOLD
34. Into the Night, c. 2020
Slab built, stamp decoration, glazes
H 14.5 x W 18 x D 8 cm
SOLD
The surface of this work was treated like a canvas, the background colours appear as in an oil painting, reflecting the Artist's knowledge and love for the medium. Hiroe overlayed several different coloured glazes to create complexity and effect. Experimenting to achieve this was exciting for Hiroe.
35. Mythical Fruit, c. 2020
Slab built, stamp decoration, glazes, oxide
H 14 x W 19. 5 x D 9.5 cm
$2800
36. The Mystic, 2024
Slab and coil built, stamp decoration, oxide and underglaze design, satin white glaze, clear glaze
H 19 x W 26.5 x D 10.5 cm
SOLD
It is one of the last ceramics Hiroe made before completing her ceramic art career in March 2024. Her restrained, sad feeling is reflected in its mystical and subdued finish. This piece gives a similar impression to watching the Japanese traditional performing arts called 'Noh', and features Hiroe’s new combination of the white matt glaze, the stamp and brush painting, and clear glaze
37. Epilogue, 2024
Slab and coil built, stamped decoration, oxide and underglaze design, matt black glaze, clear glaze
H 15.4 x W 22.0 x D 9.3 cm
SOLD
38. Midnight Run, 2024
Slab built, stamped, glaze decoration, matt glaze
H 14.2 x W 16.2 x D 8.2 cm
$2800
‘The plaster stamp design in the centre emerged from the clear glaze. It appears like the figure is running out of the darkness, matching the mood created by the background glaze.’
39. Pisces II, 1988
Slab and coil built, relief decoration, glaze, gold lustre
H 31 x W 28.5 x D 13 cm
SOLD
CORNEL SWEN
Cornel Swen’s attraction to fabric dyeing was aroused when his wife, Hiroe, told him of her professional Roketsuzome work [Japanese wax-resist dyeing] before she took up ceramics. In 1977, he met a Japanese artist, Sengai Ato (1929-1996), who hinted at the possibilities of batik painting on handmade paper. Instead of applying the heated wax and water-based chemical dyes to either cotton or silk textile material, a strong, fibrous paper with the legendary quality of washi is the next best alternative. When the wax, applied by sumi-e brush to the handmade paper, has served its purpose as a masking agent, it can be removed by pressing a hot electric iron across several layers of clean butcher’s paper placed on top and underneath to absorb most of the molten wax. Countless tests showed how, through minor variations in the wax recipe (and the prevailing studio temperature at the time of the test!), strikingly different results in the crackle effect, so characteristic of the batik process, emerged.
Faithfully observed but stylized Native Australian wildlife, often presented in repetitive patterns, became the recurring theme in his paintings. Layers of color over and under flat shapes create a sense of deep space, and the circular compositions add to the cosmic feel.
Dye Paintings, created between the late 1970s and early 1990s. Medium: fibre reactive, cold dyes, wax resist, traditional artisan handmade Japanese washi paper.
40. Nowhere to Run
Unframed: H 64 x W 64 cm (approximately)
$4000
41. Watching the Moon
Unframed: H 64 x W 64 cm (approximately)
$4000
42. Narrow Escape
Framed: H 85 x W 75 cm
SOLD
43. Aquatic Play
Framed: H 85 x W 75 cm
$4400
44. Pelican and Swimmers
Unframed: H 64 x W 64 cm (approximately)
$4000
45. Mates in the Bush
Unframed: H 64 x W 64 cm (approximately)
$4000
46. Water Chase
Unframed: H 64 x W 64 cm (approximately)
$4000
47. No Laughing Matter
Unframed: H 64 x W 64 cm (approximately)
$4000
48. Frilled-neck Protest
Unframed: H 64 x W 64 cm (approximately)
$4000
49. Playful Platypuses
Framed: H 85 x W 75 cm
$4400