Kamilaroi ceramicist Josie Bri Haines was from Pilliga, a tiny country town in north west New South Wales. In September 1997 artist Brook Andrew interviewed Haines for an Artlink magazine article in which Haines recalled roaming “the Naomi River with [her] father, working on missions and stations.”
Her ceramic pots and vases often reflected her home country, with representations of ceremonial bora rings, carved tree markings and body art as well as native animal images. In a meeting with the author in 1998 Haines said that she often used soil from her country mixed with the potters clay which sometimes refused to work together in the firing process, but when it did, the successful pots had an organic and tactile feel that emitted a raw and emotional energy.
Haines’ ceramics were included in the 1993 exhibition 'What is Aboriginal Art?’ at the Ivan Dougherty Gallery in Sydney and in 1998, Haines was included in two Sydney exhibitions: 'Djalarinji: Something That Belongs To Us’ at the Manly Regional Art Gallery and Museum and 'In The Interest of Bennelong’, an exhibition that commemorated the first National Sorry Day at Government House.
Haines worked from her home in South Penrith, NSW and died suddenly in 1998 before her work was exhibited in the Government House exhibition.

Writers:

Allas, Tess

Date written:

2008

Last updated:

2011