Madeleine Thornton-Smith is a formally trained painter and ceramic artist from Melbourne. Her practice examines the hierarchy that exists between fine art and craft in relation to class and gender.
Employing a slow process of accumulation and repetition, she uses slipcasting to bring together commonplace studio material textures with archetypal forms from fine art and ceramics - such as vessels, plinths, frames and canvases. This mimetic process raises questions about the status and value of ceramics, art and craft. As well as regularly exhibiting, Madeleine is heavily involved in arts advocacy and community work, and various writing, educational and curatorial projects. Madeleine is currently studying a Masters of Fine Art by Research at RMIT investigating the politics of gender and labour in art and craft, with particular focus on the ceramics sector.
Through an accumulation of experience and training in various mediums including painting, drawing, collage and ceramics, I try to bring different ways of working to the practice of object-making.
/ Madeleine Thornton-Smith