Pippin Drysdale
Image: Serena Kirby
“The ceramic forms that emerge from Pippin’s Fremantle studio have an international reach and importance. One of Australia’s most significant artists, she has done so much to convey the complex and fragile beauty of Western Australia’s unique environment. … Her cultivation of a peerless skillset and vision has been, therefore, generously expansive; it is about creating dialogues between the land of her inspiration and the people who will carry forth her concern for it.”
- Colin Walker, Director, Art Gallery of Western Australia
Pippin Drysdale works intuitively, with richly coloured glazes and incised lines the hallmarks of her mesmerising porcelain vessels and marbles. Frequently her ceramics reflect the famous Kimberley and Pilbara regions, many echoing the ‘vastness’ of place while others explore the ‘smallness’ of things. Memories are key. She neither sketches nor photographs her travels, relying on sub-conscious recollections that channel her vision; it is the translation of her intuitive responses that make her work so compelling.
Drysdale is a WA State Living Treasure, a Master of Australian Craft and was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of the Arts by Curtin University in 2020. Now in her 80’s, Pippin continues to climb to new heights, being selected as a Finalist in the 2023 Wynne Prize at the AGNSW. In 2025/2026 she will be honoured with a major solo exhibition at AGWA.
Pippin Drysdale works from her Fremantle studio with a collaborative team, especially Warrick Palmateer.
