Bannister uses hand building techniques to explore the fundamental nature of clay. Themes in her work include trees, the South West forest and the magnificent Indian Ocean.
“The work is a process of observation, reflection, contemplation and creation. The act of making and the final objects help me explore my understandings about life. I like making works in series, and always try and express my emotional response to nature through my work. I love that we connect through our shared understandings and responses to art. Themes which seem to repeat in my work are nature, beauty, compassion, connection, conservation and balance.”
Bannister began her undergraduate degree at Curtin University, majoring in ceramics, and midway, swapped to Fibre/Textiles, graduating in 1989. A chance meeting with local ceramics artist Susan Sowerby in 2009 began her rediscovery and love for clay.
“It’s wonderful to see a strong ceramics movement taking place at the moment similar to the craft movement in the nineteen seventies. Working in clay is a slow, meditative act; it develops patience and tolerance. There are many unknown factors in the firing and glazing process that are thrilling, and sometimes disappointing, but always exciting. I have always loved trees. Within the Australian forest of the South West, in which I am so fortunate to live, offers such a unique palette. The sheer variety of colours, shapes and textures are an endless source of inspiration to me. The imperfections and irregularities of the bark alone offer unlimited challenges for glazing. Capturing the flow and texture of leaves through the medium of fibre/textiles brings enormous satisfaction to me. I have also tried to capture the variety of colours and forms observed in water. The calm gentle meandering of the river, the crystalline waters of our beaches and the explosive, surging ocean. My work is a personal expression of the different emotions the natural world can evoke in the human experience. It’s a statement about nature and our responsibility to see and protect it for future generations.” Bannister works in her studio at The Hive Margaret River Art Collective Inc. which Bannister and five other artists founded at the end of 2019, and is home to sixteen local artists. “To work within an artist collective which could support and provide opportunities to collaborate with one another. The Hive is the culmination of a shared vision, perseverance and hard work.”