Susan Hipgrave

Ceramic decorator

©Lorrie Graham

©Toby Burrows

©Lorrie Graham

©Craig Wall

A modern twist on referencing

Susan paints on porcelain using ornithological and botanical engravings as a reference
She paints painstakingly, using the finest brushes available
Each work takes up to two months to complete

Susan Hipgrave’s highly detailed artworks result from hours of painting on porcelain plates and discs. Current issues like climate change and the environment influence her practice. Susan owns a large collection of old European 19th-century encyclopaedias that she uses as inspiration and to reconsider her subject matter. "What is going on in the world can pull me in different directions," says Susan. Her signature approach is to use black lines on white backgrounds, her artworks begging the viewer to fill in the colour. Alongside a solo exhibition at Arthouse Gallery in 2019, Susan’s biggest accolade was presenting her work in ‘SIXTY’ at Collect Gallery, JamFactory, Adelaide, in 2023, which showcased Australia’s most prominent ceramicists.

Interview

©Lorrie Graham

©Lorrie Graham

When were you first introduced to painting on porcelain?: I was first introduced to painting ceramics at a local ceramic supply shop. The owner gave me an earthenware plate to try my hand. I painted a group of ferns unfurling in a graphic, black composition, and I knew I was hooked.
Where do you draw inspiration from for your pieces?: Although I paint nature, I am a big city dweller. My inspiration comes from art galleries, magazines, architecture, the internet, and Instagram. But all this visual material can be overwhelming, and I yearn to be back in my own space on the end of a fine brush with a good audiobook or podcast.
Do you work collaboratively with anyone?: I love the many hands that ‘touch’ my work. My ‘canvases’ are made from Walker’s Superior White porcelain in Victoria. They are slipcase and bisque fired in South Australia, delivered to me in Sydney, and then eventually fired at a kiln hub nearby.
Can you tell me more about your found imagery?: Many years ago, a dear friend gave me some old German encyclopaedias documenting the natural world. These books set me on the path, and I began collecting more from England. I still love the hunt for rare books.

Susan Hipgrave is an expert artisan: she began her career in 2005