Play with Clay
Potters May Briggs, Ro Attwell and Kay Redman invite you to the Opening Night of their exhibition on Feb 15 2026 6pm-8 pm
MAY BRIGGS
A love of the seashore with the random patterns and textures of the ocean was the inspiration for my Seascape range.
Paperclay gives me the flexibility of working with many moulds made from real shells and coral texture and a longer window for attaching them to the thrown leather hard pot.
I work with a number of underglaze colours to achieve the effect I need. These are brushed and sprayed onto the bisque ware for a three-dimensional effect.
Finding yet another shell, shape or texture to use is a joy to mould and see the final object appear on the reef I have created on my pot.
A friendship of 40 years and a love of Playing with Clay was a good reason to play together.
Many joyous hours of talking, workshopping, sharing ideas and experimentation form the basis of this exhibition.
RO ATTWELL
Our Exhibition “Play with Clay” is a collection of work by May Briggs, Kay Redman & Ro Attwell. It includes work by the three of us and demonstrates the various techniques and skill gained over many years of working with clay.
I began “Playing with Clay” in 1988 by joining Beach Potters, Yeppoon, and I have been a member ever since. May Briggs became my “Clay Mate” at this time and we have been “Mates in Clay” ever since, gaining a wide range of experience & knowledge over the years. Kay Redman joined us as a “Clay Buddy” around 6 years ago, joining in workshops & working with clay with us.
In 1989 I attended Studio Ceramics in Rockhampton run by Tafe Qld, with tutor, Ros Beasley. This course continued for the following 4 years and provided me with a good grounding in basic skills, techniques, materials, various kiln firing methods & general ceramic knowledge.
It was early in my clay journey when I set up my own studio workshop in Cooee Bay, Yeppoon. I became a member of the Capricorn Coast Arts Society and exhibited my work in the Paint Pot Gallery for many years. I was an active committee member of both the Capricorn Coast Arts Society and Beach Potters during this time filling the position of Treasurer for both organisations as well as President & Secretary at various times for Beach Potters.
In 1991 I was part of a group of local potters who opened Pots Plus in Yeppoon – this remained a successful venture for approximately 10 years.
I have attended numerous workshops over the years run by Beach Potters, Rockhampton Potters, Flying Arts, Tafe Qld & McGregor Summer Schools, USQ, & Spring Fever on the Sunshine Coast. So much knowledge has been gained from these varied, talented & gifted ceramic artists.
I have tutored clay throwing classes at Beach Potters and run workshops in Raku Firing alongside my mate in clay, May Briggs. I work predominantly with a white stoneware clay body and create functional, wheel thrown, domestic ware. All my work is fired to stoneware – cone 10. I regularly attend the Fig Tree Creek Market in Yeppoon.
My work has been exhibited in many venues including most recently the Emu Park Gallery & The Fig Tree Gallery.
Cooee Bay Pottery 12 Poplar Street Cooee Bay Qld 4703
Phone 0402138714 ro@attwell.net
KAY REDMAN
G’day, I’m Kay.
I fell in love with clay many years ago. I then took a detour into the world of drawing, and some of them are here today. Having since returned to clay, I love the whole process, of making, picturing it finished and of course on opening the kiln, sometimes getting a totally different result than expected.
I am a hand builder, although I do have a little of wheel thrown here, but my passion is with hand building.
Whether drawing or sculpting I’m mostly drawn to faces and human form, hence the amount of masks here. Often I’ll go to my ‘Potting Shed’ with something in mind to create, and before I know it the clay has taken over and I’m making a mask, bum, torso etc. There is a saying in the Potters World - ‘Let the Clay Speak’.
I hope my works speak to you, brings you pleasure or perhaps joy. Have the most incredible day.
Kay