John Kuczwal
"There are few lustre exponents in the world today perhaps no more than twenty or so. Thus when an exhibition such as this is created, it is an occasion to celebrate such a rare event. This is an important exhibition.”
Alan Peascod “Painting with Smoke” Catalogue - Wollongong City Gallery 2006
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“…a world of mystery and suspense and enchantment. Is John making use of lustre to evoke it, or did the material itself work on his mind to bring it out? Perhaps something of both. What is certain is that the themes and medium seem made for one another. For twenty years or more John has been dreaming in lustre and I think lustre has been dreaming of him,
In a letter to me earlier this year he wrote “That lustre making has found its way to Wollongong, so far from the great centres of the tradition, is a strange thing to ponder”. To which I would add, that it is also a very fortunate one."
Alan Caiger-Smith “Isolation” Catalogue - Sturt Craft Centre 2010
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“Kuczwal was introduced to reduction lustre by the late Alan Peascod and, following Alan’s lead, is well aware of the various modes and methods to be found in this unique and famously challenging branch of ceramics. His patient dedication over the years has borne fruit in a body of work filled with mysterious colour and a poetical imagery, altogether without precedent.”
Alan Caiger-Smith “The Potter’s Brush” Catalogue - Wollongong City Gallery 2013
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“.. sometimes these figures mingle with the surrounding environment, in a sort of elegant mimicry, sometimes appearing instead as “shadows” or as “reserves” of dark shades within a varied and flaming background. With their punctiform, threadlike and minute ornamental designs, similar to those that decorate the background, they appear and disappear from their fantastically populated universe, in which a continuous, precious and golden light contrasts with the deep darkness of the shadows.
It is almost as if they were innervated with a pulsating brightness.”
Ettore Sannipoli “In the town of Maestro Giorgio” Catalogue - St Ubaldo House, Gubbio 2017
1971 Employed by the Attorney Generals Department and began his career in law courts administration.
1987 Solo exhibition of painting and drawings at “Seaview” Gallery Newcastle
1989 Following a meeting with Alan Peascod became interested in reduced pigment lustre
1990 Began to solo fire wood-fired lustre and explore the technique of reduced pigment lustre
1996 Solo lustre exhibition “Art for Art Sake” Gallery Wollongong
1996 Work represented in the Australian Wood-fired Survey exhibition Canberra
2000 Solo lustre exhibition “Nesac” Gallery Wollongong
2006 Solo lustre exhibition “Painting with Smoke” Wollongong City Gallery
2010 Solo lustre exhibition “Isolation” Sturt Craft Centre Mittagong
2011 Retired from the Attorney Generals Department (as the Chamber Magistrate, Wollongong)
2013 Joint exhibition lustre and maiolica with Marino Moretti “The Potters Brush” Wollongong City Gallery
2017 Guest exhibitor at “Brocche d’autore” Exhibition Gubbio Italy
2017 Solo lustre exhibition “In the town of Maestro Giorgio” Casa Sant Ubaldo Gubbio Italy
2018 "Five Countries One Vision" Joint exhibition of lustre with Abbas Akbari (Iran) Arturo Mora Benavent
(Spain) Jonathan Chiswell-Jones (England) Giampietro Rampini (Italy) Graziano Pericoli (Italy)
Palazzo della Porta, Gubbio Italy
2019 "Five Countries One Vision" Joint exhibition with Abbas Akbari, Arturo Mora Benavent, Jonathan Chiswell-Jones,
Giampietro Rampini and Joan Carillo Romero. House of Culture Manises, National Museum of Ceramics and
Decorative Arts, Valencia, Spain
Publications
“Painting with Smoke” Catalogue. Introduction by Alan Peascod. Wollongong City Gallery 2006
“More than a Recipe” Article in Journal of Australian Ceramics 2006 Vol 45 pt 3
“Isolation” Catalogue. Introduction by Alan Caiger-Smith Sturt Craft Centre Mittagong 2010
“Ceramic Poetry” Chapter on lustre in “Alan Peascod: Artist of Exceptional Talent” Mansfield Press 2010
“The Potters Brush” Catalogue. Introduction by Alan Caiger-Smith Wollongong City Gallery 2013
“In the town of Maestro Giorgio” Catalogue. Introduction by Ettore Sannipoli Casa Sant Ubaldo Gubbio 2017
"Five Countries One Vision " Catalogue. Introduction by Ettore Sannipoli Palazzo della Porta Gubbio 2018
"Five Countries One Vision" Catalogue introduction by Josep Perez Camps Manises Spain 2019