The Southern Highlands Arts Trail is a celebration of artistic diversity, showcasing painters, printmakers, jewellers, ceramicists and sculptors whose studios are scattered across the region. Among the highlights of this year’s program is Karen Alexander Sculpture Studio, the creative home of Karen Alexander. Known for her large-scale public works and her evolving practice in ceramics, Alexander offers visitors a glimpse into both her professional mastery and her continued experimentation with new forms and materials.
A Journey in Sculpture: From Tom Bass to Karen Alexander Sculpture Studio
Karen Alexander’s career began under the guidance of one of Australia’s most renowned sculptors, Tom Bass AM. Studying figurative sculpture under Bass gave Alexander not only technical skill but also a foundation in the emotional and storytelling power of form. Her ability to capture history, place and the human experience through sculpture has shaped a practice that continues to resonate in public and private spaces across Australia.
Over the years, Alexander has produced numerous public commissions, working from clay to cast bronze and aluminium, many of which stand as enduring testaments to her skill. These works, often large in scale, reflect an interest in the narratives embedded in our surroundings – how stories of people and place can be told through the weight and presence of sculptural form.
Today, her studio in Colo Vale, reflects both her established reputation and her willingness to explore new directions. Nestled in the natural beauty of the Highlands, it provides both inspiration and space for her evolving ceramic works.
Earth Watch: A Contemporary Series at Karen Alexander Sculpture Studio
One of the defining features of Alexander’s recent practice is her series, Earth Watch. This body of work includes organic ceramic forms characterised by richly layered surfaces of oxides and glazes. Titles such as Cirrus, Cumulus and Haze suggest a dialogue between nature’s elements and form.
Visitors are invited to view the works at Karen Alexander Sculpture Studio during the Arts Trail, and enjoy the calm and quiet space of the studio. Each form, handbuilt with careful attention to surface and structure, is both familiar and enigmatic, encouraging audiences to reflect on their own place in the world. Through the clay, with textured surfaces and gestural markings they provide a reflection of nature’s elements: air, water, fire and earth that shape and sustain life, fostering a deeper understanding of the rhythm of life.
Inside Karen Alexander Sculpture Studio
Visitors to Karen Alexander Sculpture Studio during the Arts Trail can expect a calm and welcoming environment. The studio features rustic shelving holding tools, maquettes and life studies, which provide a window into Karen’s process. On plinths throughout the space, her latest ceramic works are displayed, each form a study in surface, shape and expression.
This balance of working space and exhibition environment allows visitors to experience sculpture not only as finished art but also as a process. Seeing maquettes alongside completed works helps illustrate how an idea evolves from a small study into a resolved form
The Techniques Behind the Work
Karen Alexander’s ceramic practice is grounded in process. She often uses handbuilding methods – press mould and slab techniques – to create the walls of her ceramic pieces. Layers of clay are built up, adding both strength and texture. The forms are then gently paddled, a subtle process that creates a vibration in the work, giving it a sense of life and movement.
These methods bring her closer to the material, allowing her to shape each form with an immediacy and tactility that resonates with her background in figurative sculpture. The surfaces, enriched with oxides, engobes and glazes, complete the transformation, offering depth and variation that reveal themselves as viewers move around the pieces.
Returning to Figurative Roots
While her recent work has been focused on organic ceramic forms, Alexander is also revisiting her roots in figurative sculpture. She is currently developing a new series that reflects her deep understanding of the human figure, shaped by her early studies with Tom Bass.
During the Arts Trail, visitors will be able to see an example of this return: a clay figure in progress, alongside demonstrations of the modelling process. This not only highlights her technical mastery but also offers audiences the chance to learn more about the practical side of sculptural practice.
Why Visit Karen Alexander Sculpture Studio on the Arts Trail?
For anyone curious about sculpture, Karen Alexander Sculpture Studio is a must-see destination on the Arts Trail. Visitors have the rare opportunity to experience both the finished artworks and the processes that bring them to life. Alexander’s background as a teacher of sculpture in Sydney also makes her particularly adept at sharing knowledge. Those who stop by can learn more about working in three dimensions and discover how accessible and rewarding sculptural practice can be.
In addition, the setting itself contributes to the experience. Nestled in Colo Vale, the studio reflects the quiet beauty of the Highlands while housing works that explore universal themes of nature, history and humanity. Whether encountering the textured forms of Earth Watch or watching the development of a figurative piece, visitors will leave with a deeper appreciation for the art of sculpture.
The Southern Highlands Arts Trail 2025 will be held across the first two weekends in November, the 1st & 2nd and 8th & 9th from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM daily. Studios and creative spaces throughout the region will be open, offering visitors the chance to connect with local artists, discover unique works and enjoy the vibrant creative spirit of the Southern Highlands. Download your map here today!
