Estelle Martin Curriculum Vitae 1992

C.V. ESTELLE MARTIN
Valentine Road
R.D.5, Hastings
NEW ZEALAND

1930   Born, Southland, New Zealand.

1957   Started potting as a hobby.

1963   Selected as Exhibiting Member of Hawke’s Bay Art Gallery and Museum.

1964   Selected as Exhibiting Member of the New Zealand Society of Potters.

1965/80   Attended various workshops conducted by visiting overseas potters.

1965   Formed partnership (Kamaka Pottery) with husband, Bruce, and became full-time potter.

1965/83   Made glazed domestic wares and floral containers fired in oil burning kiln.

1976   Estelle chosen as selector for 19th annual exhibition of the N.Z. Society of Potters, Christchurch.

1978   First visit to Japan, visiting many pottery workshops and first meeting with Mr. Sanyo Fujii to see his anagama kiln and his contemporary anagama fired work.

1970/81   Constructed Kamaka Anagama kiln from information supplied by Mr. Fujii.

1982   May First firing of our anagama kiln. June/July   Joint exhibitions with husband, Bruce, at Gisborne Art Gallery, and at Albany, Auckland.

Sept.   Second journey to Japan to visit Mr. Fujii and learn more about firing anagama type kilns.

1983   Sanyo Fujii came and lived and worked with with us for seven months giving us tuition in making Traditional Tea Ceremony wares, and in loading and firing the anagama kiln to best advantage. May – Second firing (ten days) of Kamaka Anagama. Stoped [Stopped] firing oil kiln to concentrate on Anagama.

1984   Joint Exhibition with Bruce and Sanyo Fujii of pots from the second firing at the Mitsukoshi Gallery of Fine Art, Osaka, Japan.

1986   Exhibited with N.Z. Society of Potters at the Richmond Art Gallery, Canada.

1988   Merit Award, Norsewear Art Awards.

1990   Merit Award, Norsewear Art Awards.

1990   Joint Exhibition with Bruce at the Hawke’s Bay Exhibition Centre, Hastings.

1991   Participated in “Ten Hawke’s Bay Potters” Exhibition in Hastings.

1992   “Ten Hawke’s Bay Potters” Exhibition sent to Guilin, China, for cultural exchange with Hastings’ Sister City. Seven acceptances in the Fletcher Challenge Ceramics Awards in the past twelve years.
Collections:   Hawke’s Bay Cultural Trust and private collections in N.Z., Japan, Canada and U.K.

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES

Started potting full time 1965. First fired our 500 cub. ft. anagama 1982 and in 1991 built mini anagama. Fired large anagama every year for nine years in a traditional way as shown us by Sanyo Fujii in 1983.

1976 – 1979   Part time tutor for Massey University and Waikato University taking classes and weekend schools throughout New Zealand

Throughout married life has on many occasions done the flower arrangements in the St Johns Presbyterian Church in Frederick Street, The Hastings Exhibition Centre and the Hastings Public Library.

Estelle was probably the first full-time professional woman potter in New Zealand. She was also the first woman in New Zealand to take out personal accident insurance with
A A Mutual Insurance.

Estelle has always been a keen gardener, planned and planted our gardens in Valentine Road as well as Pakowhai Road. Estelle also helped build kilns, cut and stack large quantities of wood for firing the anagama kiln and could use power tools when helping to build the Hoki house.