Her Flame, My Hands
A daughter’s journey through grief, growth and clay
Her Flame, My Hands is an annual solo exhibition by Brisbane/Meanjin ceramic artist Jenna Catchpole, presented each September in honour of her mother, Jennene – a gifted potter whose love of clay continues to shape Jenna’s practice today.
What began as a deeply personal response to grief has evolved into an annual exhibition exploring memory, inheritance and the enduring bond between mother and daughter. Through clay, Jenna continues a conversation across generations, reflecting on how love, loss and creativity leave lasting impressions on our lives.
Every piece in the exhibition has been woodfired in an Anagama kiln in Middle Pocket, New South Wales over the last year. Fired continuously over several days using only wood as fuel, the process allows flame, ash and heat to interact directly with each vessel. The kiln acts as a collaborator resulting in surfaces that can never be predicted or repeated, making every piece a singular record of its journey through fire.
The works speak to transformation – of clay, of memory and of the ways grief can evolve into something that continues to sustain us. They honour the past while embracing the future, celebrating the people who continue to shape our hands long after they are gone.
OPENING EVENT
Saturday 5th Sep : 2-5PM
– Official speeches at 3pm-
OPENING HOURS
Thursday 10AM – 4PM
Friday 1-4PM
Saturday and Sunday 10AM-4PM
– or by appointment –
Jenna will be in the gallery during opening hours to chat about the work and share insights into her process. Visitors are invited to wander through, connect with the work, and share this special milestone moment. Bring friends, family, and anyone who loves clay and stories marked by fire and love.
Brisbane/Meanjin ceramic artist Jenna Catchpole has spent more than a decade immersed in the practice of atmospheric woodfiring, travelling throughout Australia to fire traditional wood kilns with ceramic communities in diverse landscapes. Drawn to the unpredictability and collaboration inherent in the process, her practice explores the relationship between maker, material and fire.
Clay has been part of Jenna’s life since childhood, introduced through her mother, a potter. Following her mother’s passing, Jenna stepped away from ceramics before returning to the wheel in 2013 to study with Ray Cavill at Clayschool Brisbane. Since then, she has developed a distinctive body of work defined by carved surfaces, tactile forms and the rich natural ash effects created through woodfiring.
Each September, Her Flame, My Hands brings together these two threads of her practice: a commitment to woodfiring and a deeply personal exploration of remembrance, resilience and the enduring legacy of family.
