Brent Malessas Pottery

NI-VANUATU ARTISAN SEEKING SPONSORS

INTRODUCTION by David Sherar, Malapoa
I came to Vanuatu over 10 years ago from Perth, Western Australia and over the last 2½ years I have donated much of my time to teaching pottery. I provided equipment, knowledge and skills to set up Wan Smol Bag Pottery where I also taught the art of pottery. Since February 2013 I have been teaching pottery to one of WSB’s

outstanding students at my home pottery studio. SYNOPSIS
From June 2012 my wife, Margaret Delbridge and I have been sponsoring Brent Malessas a young man from Malekula who lives with his parents in a village in Peacock Estate, Malapoa. Born in January 1990, he was fortunate to have gained a secondary school education including a number of business management courses through VCCI. In February 2012, my wife and I set up Wan Smol Bag Pottery which I managed and taught pottery to unemployed youth. Brent joined in June 2012 and was keen right from the start. He very quickly learnt the art of working with clay and in January 2013 WSB and AusAID paid for him to travel to New Zealand for a month’s work experience potting in a number of different studios in Napier. On his return from New Zealand I offered Brent the use of my home studio, pottery equipment and materials at no cost as I could see his potential. I recently donated all of this to him for the new studio. Many visiting overseas potters have been astounded at his learning ability, skills and the quality of work he is now producing. In only 2 years Brent has mastered mixing clay, hand and wheel work pottery making, weighing out and mixing all the different chemicals to make the various colour glazes, glazing finished pots, lighting the large gas kilns and controlling firings for up to 11 hours to allow the kiln to reach 1300°c to create oven and dishwasher proof pottery. He is an extremely talented quietly-spoken man whose enthusiasm and love for pottery drives him to want to further increase his knowledge in the art of pottery. His heart and desire are honourable and from our conversations I can see he wants to pass on what he has learnt to other interested Ni-Vanuatu. Brent has been accepted into the New Zealand Mentoring Program and I have no doubt he will be a great ambassador for Vanuatu in the arts and craft area. I am sure one day he will become a very well respected potter here and overseas. His talent has already been recognised by TVET, part of Australian aid, who has asked if he would help teach pottery in Malekula. The concept is for him visit a few times a year and then to possibly have students come to Port Vila to do refresher courses as and when they need to. DESIRED OUTCOME
A new Pottery Studio and Showroom: To accomplish this I am seeking your help to raise enough funds and material to build a training/working pottery studio and a showroom/gallery for quality local indigenous arts and craft. Brent has negotiated a long term rental on a section of ground belonging to the Vanuatu Government, Co-operative & Rural Businesses Services opposite Bon Marche, Manples. Estimated value to build – 2.2 million (AUD$ 25,000)

Cash donation can be made to: National Bank Vanuatu
Account Name: Pottery Studio Account No: 0061843004

Or send cheques or money order to:
David Sherar, PO Box 5088 Port Vila, Vanuatu. Ph: +678 7751411 Em: [email protected]