Artists

Embracing the dramatic patterns and vivid colours of South Africa before realising their seamless compatibility with elements of Australian native avifauna and flora, the medium of ceramics provides a space to link Maricelle Olivier’s personal history and geography. The focal point upon each piece stands as the surface decoration of cross continental interpretations, visually translated onto hand-built and wheel-thrown forms.

Maricelle Olivier was born in South Africa and immigrated to Australia in 2007. Recently, Maricelle has been working for the past two and a half years as the Ceramics Studio Manager for Ernabella Arts Centre, located in a remote Aboriginal community in the far north west of South Australia. Maricelle graduated with an MFA in Ceramics at the National Art School in 2018 and had her first solo exhibition at gaffa gallery in Sydney CBD in 2020. Maricelle has been part of many group exhibitions in Sydney, including Sabbia Gallery and White Rhino Artspace. Her work has been selected in the finalist exhibition for the Lake Art Prize in 2020 at the Museum of Art and Culture in Lake Macquarie, and a selection of works has been acquired into the National Art School Collection and City of Sydney collection.

Maricelle is an early career artist who is a comprehensive hand builder and her skill in the material sets her apart from some of her contemporaries. Having previously exhibited at Sabbia Gallery in March 2020 in the group exhibition ‘The Space Within’, as well as her successful solo exhibition ‘Technicolour Desert’ in August 2021,  she is definitely an artist that is one to watch.