P R O F I L E : F A Y S T U M M
P R O F I L E : F A Y S T U M M
MASTER POTTER
During the late 1960s one of Australia ’ s earliest indigenous arts groups was established at Cherbourg , an aboriginal settlement in south-east Queensland . Barambah Pottery was a commercial success but was inexplicably closed down in the late 1980s . Today , Barambah Pottery pieces are much sought after by collectors – so much so that the State Library of Queensland recently mounted a retrospective of the group ’ s work . Such was the interest from the local communities and collectors during the exhibition that Arts Queensland , along with project manager Matthew Wengert , set up a project called ReFire , with the goal of promoting the re-establishment of a new commercial pottery centre at Cherbourg .
The ReFire project brought together a number of Cherbourg artists , including two of the original Barambah Potters , Rocko Langton and Maurice Mickelo . Local potter Fay Stumm was employed on the project as tutor-technician potter . As a local , Fay knew about Barambah Pottery when it was operational , and had always been keen to try her hand at the pottery lessons the group used to give at the Cherbourg TAFE college – but the fact that she was a mother of young children at the time , living on a farming property some distance away , meant that Fay was not able to take advantage of the opportunity to attend night classes . When , 40-odd years later , she was asked by Matthew to be involved in the ReFire project it was like she had come full-circle .
“ The people involved in the ReFire project are already artists in their own right ,” says Fay . “ They have so much talent . My role was more to supply pots for painting , as until recently they didn ’ t have any wheels or a kiln to throw their own . I then guided them in what different mediums could be used .”
Fay was throwing and bisque firing up to 40 pots , bowls and plates every week for the eight-week duration of the project .
Fay says she is surprised at the breadth of interest the project has inspired , but not by the interest from the artists . “ They have such a passion for what they are doing . You can see the pride they all have in their pieces , and the knowledge as well as personal and cultural history that each piece has incorporated in its chosen design .”
Fay says it is not easy being an artist in the rural and regional areas . “ It can be difficult to get supplies and find people to teach you the skills .” As a country woman it is also difficult to find the time to travel long
ISSUE 2 OF 4 IN 2017 37