The artist sitting with her masterpieces, Julia St Creative Space, July 17, 2024

1980
Earthenware

A recreation of a long-lost pot belonging to the late Adrian Knowles, Isobel’s grandfather, who generously contributed to the purchase of a kiln. Maureen describes this and the Unicorn Pot as the “two best pots I’ve ever made” in a letter to Mr Knowles.

1987, Earthenware

This work was created for the late Adrian Knowles. Maureen describes this one and the Alligator Pot as her “two best pots I’ve ever made” in a letter to Mr Knowles. She says "I had to learn how to draw horses (they're such a funny shape) to be able to paint this one, which accounts for its legs being somewhat out of kilter." She said of the peacocks, "They were a bit dull so I slapped some real gold lustre on them (18 carat I suppose) and brightened them up a bit." And a PS, " The pot is made of some very special white clay I had made up by the manufacturer. It's the first pot EVER fired from it."

1989, Earthenware

Many images of butterflies can be found across different pieces of Maureen’s work. These butterflies are laid out almost like an entomologist’s case, each one based on a real species of butterfly.

c. 1986, Earthenware

Indicative of many decorated serving bowls made with elaborate bases.

1988, Earthenware

Maureen loved painting people and families. There are many significant pieces she made over the years that are painted from photographs of people grouped together in a pose. These family moments made permanent as ceramic objects gives them gravitas.

1982
Earthenware

Maureen described these as being very difficult to create. A great lot of effort went into matching top to bottom and ensuring they fit together despite the shrinking that happens upon drying and firing clay.

c. 1982, Porcelein

This bowl was one of a series created at art school once she was finally let loose creatively. Up until this point, students were strictly educated in conservative ceramic skills. Maureen wanted to make something as flamboyant and unrestricted as possible and poured all of her pent up ideas and enthusiasm into these pots.

1988, Earthenware

This candlestick has lived in our home for decades. A favourite at dinner parties and during blackouts.

1998-2001

Made for Isobel’s 21st birthday. A fantastical sailing ship setting sail safely into life.

2012, Earthenware

A birthday gift for Isobel. This figure is likely a Greek goddess - probably Athena, goddess of warfare and wisdom as well as handicraft, courage, inspiration, mathematics, and strength amongst other things. Maureen loved Greek mythology.

2014, Earthenware

Maureen was incredibly well read. Her library was vast and eclectic. She was often inspired by stories she read. It’s not known which Tolstoy work she was thinking of—if anyone has ideas, please write them in the book.

2014, Earthenware

To compliment the underwater wonder of the Life and Times of the Humble Sardine Maureen created this series of coral-like candlesticks called Reef. From the 2014 exhibition Connecting Threads at CEMA (Portland Arts Centre).

2014, Earthenware

To compliment the underwater wonder of the Life and Times of the Humble Sardine Maureen created this series of coral-like candlesticks called Reef. From the 2014 exhibition Connecting Threads at CEMA (Portland Arts Centre).

2014, Earthenware

Maureen created many little figures holding candles. As with the bottle people, a crowd would sit on a table at a market or in a shop waiting to be discovered as the spitting image of a friend or family member.

2013-2015, Earthenware

2001, 2014, Earthenware

Left: Reef, 2014

Centre: We could tell by the glint in his eye that Ronald had plenty to say, 2001

Right: Candle person, 2014

1987, Earthenware

A staple of Maureen’s work, these charming bottle people represent hundreds and hundreds of similar people. Crowds of little bottle people would always be on sale at the markets in Daylesford in the 80s, each one a different face waiting to be recognised as a doppelgänger of someone’s aunt or nephew.

1988, 1989, Earthenware

These two Toby Jugs are part of a series of similar characters. Maureen kept these two because they were portraits of people she knew. The woman is Wendy who worked on the cashier at the Daylesford supermarket and the man is her boss, Mr Clough, who owned the supermarket and afforded us all kinds of concessions in times of need. They were both always cheerful and generous.

1986-1988, Earthenware

The patterns on these three pieces show a motif common in Maureen’s work of layered coloured patterns. For every one you see here there could be thousands floating around. The studio shelves were always full of such items. No two pots were the same design.

1987-2005

c. 1985, Earthenware

A beautiful example of Maureen's layered patterns.

2013, Earthenware

1989, Earthenware

c. 2015

2013, Earthenware

2012, Earthenware

These are part of a series of tall vases made following the purchase of a clay roller. They’re also part of a collection of experiments in creating monotone relief work. They were created by rolling clay in a press and moulding them around some PVC pipe then assembling and decorating.

c. 1984, Earthenware

A rare enormous pot - a scale that Maureen only did a small number of. This pot has held the family Christmas tree every year since the mid 1980s.

c. 1983, Earthenware

1988, Earthenware

Maureen often used ceramics as a storytelling device. This jug tells the story of Suzannah and the Elders from the Book of Daniel.

Suzannah is spied on by lecherous powerful men of her community. When she refuses their advances, they unsuccessfully try blackmailing her, then they publicly accuse her of adultery whereby she is sentenced to death.

Young Daniel cross-examines the men who describe conflicting trees at the scene of the ‘crime’ so are found to have lied. Suzannah’s name is cleared and instead the Elders are sentenced to death.

c. 1981, Stoneware

These were pieces made at Ballarat College of the Arts. Maureen found the disciplined and regimented style dull and tedious, managing to slip a few curly corners and animal paintings on these classic stoneware shapes.

c. 1988, Earthenware

Painted from a photograph of Maureen, her sister, cousins, aunties and grandmothers in the backyard of one of their relative’s houses in Melbourne.

c.2005, Earthenware

c. 2014, Earthenware

2007, Earthenware

Maureen created personalised pots for many of her friends. She was inspired by the lives of people in her community and they appeared often as characters in her work.

c. 1982, Earthenware

A mug made for Isobel's dad, John to celebrate his birthday.

2006-2015, Earthenware

Maureen was incredibly delighted by birds. She sat with them in her backyard every morning, observing them and interacting with them. They are a strong motif that dances across her work.

c. 1983, Earthenware

These represent a cohort of interesting shaped large vessels, staples of Maureen’s playful domestic object work.

1987, Earthenware

2006-2007, Earthenware

2015, Earthenware

c. 2006

c. 2012, Earthenware

Maureen made hundreds and hundreds of beads, selling them as individual pieces and arranging them into stacks for jewellery or Christmas decorations to give to her friends and family. The most significant piece she created was a bead curtain for her home in Portland.

c. 2014

Created from leftover eggcups and beads these lovely bells hung in the quince tree in the back yard, like colourful fruit that elevated the bare tree in winter.

2012, Earthenware

A green planter for greenery created as a birthday gift for Isobel.

2014, Earthenware

2012, Earthenware

Combining two great loves, ceramics and gardening.

c. 2015, Earthenware

1987–2002, Earthenware

2000, Earthenware

2014, Earthenware

Created for the 2014 exhibition Connecting Threads at CEMA, an exhibition of work by Maureen and her daughter Isobel Knowles, Rebecca Marriott and her mother Bernice Morrow.

2014, Earthenware

Created for the 2014 exhibition Connecting Threads at CEMA, an exhibition of work by Maureen and her daughter Isobel Knowles, Rebecca Marriott and her mother Bernice Morrow.

2014, Earthenware

Created for the 2014 exhibition Connecting Threads at CEMA, an exhibition of work by Maureen and her daughter Isobel Knowles, Rebecca Marriott and her mother Bernice Morrow.

1985, Earthenware

This dramatic scene shows Maureen’s friend Tessa’s house burning. The neighbourhood dogs are attacking the firefighters and other community members fighting the blaze. The family is fleeing.

1986, Earthenware

Baby Jesus is being flung around on the trapeze while all the animals, Wise Men and other attendees look on in awe.