The Blumhardt Foundation announces that the 2022 recipients of Dame Doreen’s Gift are Jaime Jenkins of Tauranga and Andrea du Chatenier of Whanganui who will both receive a gift of $10,000 from the Foundation.

Dame Doreen’s Gift is awarded annually by the Blumhardt Foundation to encourage two makers whose outstanding achievement and commitment has garnered the respect and admiration of peers and sector leaders. Andrea du Chatenier says “I'm incredibly excited about this. I've never been given anything with so little effort on my part.....no form filling, no requesting letters of recommendation, no summing up of my life, no commitment to big shows, no embarrassing interviews. It's too lovely to be true.”

One Gift is for a younger maker and the other for a more established maker. “Although at different stages of their career there are similarities in Andrea and Jaime’s practices” says Blumhardt Chair Philip Clarke. “Both are woman working in ceramics, who within a relatively short time, have created work that has pushed the boundaries of what New Zealand ceramics look like and where they can be found. Trustees found this impressive.”

Jaime, who is just 29, has quickly established herself as a significant national figure in ceramics whose work has been purchased by the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa. She says “Over the past few years my work has been outgrowing the size of my current kiln so I am thrilled to be able to use the Gift towards getting a larger one.”

Andre du Chatenier is a sculptor turned ceramicist who has created formidably accomplished and challenging work in her new medium. On hearing of her Gift Andrea said “The nicest thing about the award is having a group of peers acknowledge my work. It's like a delicious condiment that makes everything seem wonderful, and possible.” Based in Whanganui since 2004, after completing the Tylee Cottage Artist Residency at Sarjeant Gallery, Andrea currently teaches at UCOL.

The Blumhardt Foundation was established to advance contemporary craft practice by the late Dame Doreen Blumhardt, one of NZ’s leading potters, arts advocates and educators. Dame Doreen’s Gift was first awarded in 2016 and former recipients are:

Craig McIntosh - Jeweller

Christopher Duncan – Textile artist/weaver

Nikau Hindin – Aute/Māori bark cloth maker/artist

Rowan Panther – Textile/fibre maker

Matthew McIntyre Wilson – Jeweller and weaver

Images:

Top: Jamie Jenkins. Photo Credit: Claire Mosson.

Bottom: Andre du Chatenier

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