Featured in Home Beautiful: Sate of the Art
There’s something very surreal about seeing work you’ve made with your own hands end up in the pages of a magazine.
I’m incredibly excited to be featured in Home Beautiful as part of their State of the Art feature, alongside an amazing line-up of Australian artists exhibiting at the Affordable Art Fair Sydney this November.
My journey with ceramics started as something I was simply curious about. What began as a creative outlet quickly became something much bigger, eventually leading me to leave my full-time career, establish The Sunshine Collective, open my studio on Sydney’s Northern Beaches and develop my own sculptural practice.
Over time, my work has evolved from predominantly functional ceramics into larger, one-of-a-kind sculptural pieces. My current work is heavily influenced by the Australian coastline—the movement of water, eroded rock formations, weathered surfaces and the textures and forms created by nature over time.
Being recognised by Home Beautiful at this point in that journey feels pretty special.
JAYNE PAPALIA
What first made you want to become an artist?
I never set out to become an artist. I enrolled in a pottery class as a hobby. I imagined ceramics would become a side hustle alongside my full-time job as a teacher. I never expected it to grow into a full-time career.
What’s the story behind the very first piece you ever sold?
It was one of my The Sunshine Collective ‘Freshwater’ glaze cups. It felt surreal that someone wanted to take home something I’d made.
What’s been the biggest highlight of your artist career so far?
Having the courage to leave my full-time job and pursue ceramics. It was one of the most exciting – and terrifying – decisions I’ve ever made. I always knew I could return to teaching if I needed to. More than once, I found myself calling schools to enquire about relief work. But every time, something would happen – a great sale or an exciting commission – that reminded me I was where I was meant to be.
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@thesunshinecollectiveaustralia
Next stop: Affordable Art Fair Sydney
The feature comes at an exciting time, with preparations now well underway for Affordable Art Fair Sydney this November.
I’ll be exhibiting with COVE, alongside a group of Northern Beaches artists who have shared my studio over the years and become close friends.
COVE is an idea that has been quietly taking shape for some time, so seeing it come to life at the fair—and bringing all of our work together in one space—feels like the beginning of something much bigger.
I’ll be presenting a collection of sculptural ceramic works created especially for the fair, alongside pieces from my ongoing practice.
For now, it’s very much back to the studio, making, firing and trying not to think too hard about how quickly November is approaching.
A huge thank you to Home Beautiful and the Affordable Art Fair team for the feature and for including my work in such a brilliant group of artists. Definitely one for the “is this actually happening?” file.
